


Ghosts of the Past

by gammarose



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: CAUSE MY TWO LIL BEANS CAN NEVER SUFFER, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Ghosts, HAPPY ENDING I SWEAR TO YOU GUYS, Happy Ending, I swear, Kim is very much alive and smitten over the lil spook haunting her new house, Mutual Pining, Reincarnation, Trini is a smol broody ghost who is very much gay, and a lot of, fluffy smut in later chapters, get ready for some late 60's and early 70's fashion yall, ghost au, shit get's spoopy, some internalized homophobia, soul mates, the boys appear in this fic don't worry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-07-10
Packaged: 2018-11-05 23:03:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 28,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11023443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gammarose/pseuds/gammarose
Summary: Kim  and her family move into a new Victorian home at the start of her Senior Year. But someone else is with them too; someone no longer among the living.OrTrini is a ghost who is very much dead and very much in love with Kimberly Hart.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has been in the making for quite some time. Anyway, this story is mainly already finished, and combines my love for ghost stories and reincarnated soulmates finding each other again.
> 
> I will be updating it about every week (unless finals get's in the way lol, then they'll be a brief wait). 
> 
> Special thanks to tumblr user trinisexual (Trinisexual on AO3) for helping me with ideas and being my headcanon buddy and stuff. Check out their tumblr, they have hella great ideas and are a cool bro!

The last moving van arrived in the early morning to a bleak grey sky. Dark overcast clouds covered the entirety of the Angel Grove skyline as far as anyone could see. No sunshine crept through. It had been this way for days, but for Kimberly Hart, it had seemed as if all light had left her life.

Kim watched from her bedroom window as the last of the mover’s filed out of the house. The landlord named Mr. Taylor, an middle aged Asian man with greying hair, had eagerly handed them the keys and lease.

She kept her eyes on Mr. Taylor as he shook her mom’s hand before heading to his car and starting the engine. Before he pulled out of the Hart’s new driveway he glanced up at the empty attic window with a sad expression, then looked away. No one else but Kim noticed the worried look etched on his face as he pulled out of the driveway and headed away.

...

“So what do you think of the place?” her mother asked, placing a moving box down, and putting her hands on her hips.

Kim took in her new surroundings. The house had been vacant for years and it showed in sagging floorboards, peeling wall paint, and dusty windows. A crooked chandelier hung from the foyer ceiling, all but two of it’s lights broken.

 _Welcome home_ , Kim thought bitterly. 

Mrs. Hart clapped her hands. “Well, it is a fixer upper, but I look forward to working on it, don’t you Kim?” Kim tried to return the smile her mom gave her, but failed.  “It’s alright,” she shrugged, “could be a bit more–” but her words were interrupted by creaking from upstairs.

Something was upstairs. The creaking continued. Maybe a rat or–. 

Mrs. Hart frowned. “Must be the pipes. Should call in the plumbers tomorrow when your dad’s back. Oh honey I’m sure you’ll love this place once it’s fixed!”

Noting Kim’s lack of interest, her mother sighed and said, “Look, I know moving is stressful, and change is difficult. But I think between the three of us a change of scenery will benefit you the most. Especially after–”

Kim gave her mom a pointed look. “After what, mom?”

Her mother caught herself. The whole Amanda Incident was still raw, only several months before. Kim could never forget her parent’s disappointment, Amanda’s look of betrayal, the whispers behind her back as she headed towards detention.

Noting Kim’s upset look, she looked at her daughter and said, “Why don’t you go and take a walk outside and get some fresh air. I need to pickup dinner anyway. Don’t think your Abba and  I have the energy to cook after hauling all these boxes….”

Five minutes later, Kim was outside in the garden, an outgrowth of roses and ivy vines, growing along the southern side of the property.

Kim stood in the front yard, observing the house from afar. It had it’s charm. She had to admit that. Kim could see why both her parents had been eager to buy the place as soon as it went up for sale. A house this big for so little was a great deal.

Kim tugged her hoodie tighter against her body. The crisp fall air blew dead leaves across the massive lawn. The front and backyards were massive. At least 3 acres of land surrounded the house, leaving enough room for privacy. A short path through an outcrop of trees led straight to a hidden waterhole. She would check it later once the sun came out. Angel Grove fall weather was always a mixture of rainy days and sudden sunshine.

She glanced back at the house. For a moment, she had thought she had seen a figure of a girl standing in the attic window, out of the corner of her eye. But that couldn’t be? Her parents had gone. No one else was in the house.

She thought it must have been a trick of the light, or even a trick played by her own mind.

Kim shook her head. Probably just her lack of sleep from moving.

 …

Kim found the basement the next day.

Her mother asked her to bring down some old Christmas decorations for safekeeping, and Kim complied, trying to get her mind off of the girl she saw in the window.

But it couldn’t be a girl? No one else was in the house. It was probably just some trick of light, she thought, as she stepped carefully down the stairwell, boxes in hand.

She felt around with her free hand for a switch, and upon grazing it, flipped it. The fluorescent light bulb flickered on casting shadows on dusty wooden crates and boxes. A giant rusting coal furnace lurked in the back, thrusting pipes up towards the low ceiling. It reminded Kim of a drum, round and massive. The front vent door, where people would put coal, had been padlocked shut.

Kim placed the boxes down and surveyed the contents of the basement. Couldn’t bother to look around and see what she could find. It all belonged to them now, she thought. Mr. Taylor hadn’t said anything against it. The house is all yours, she remembered him saying with a forced smile.

She rummaged around. Nothing was really interesting. Old china tableware, lace placemats, yellowing cookbooks, boring boring boring. There was a vintage record player that caught her interest, along with a couple of records. An old Toshiba machine that reminded Kim of a wooden briefcase. She flipped through the records. All 70’s music. The Carpenters. Sex Pistols. Stuff her parent’s must have listened too.

 _Guess it’s mine now_ , she thought.

Tucking the records and player under her shoulder, Kim was about to leave when she saw it on the ground. It was hard not to notice. The yellow piece of fabric stuck out amid the grey concrete floor. The beanie was thrown to the side of the furnace, away from all the boxes and crates.

She knelt down and picked the beanie up. It was faded yellow, yarn fringing around the edges. But something about the piece of fabric drew Kim’s attention. She stroked the soft material, sending dust flying into the air. The beanie seemed familiar. Like she had seen it before. But when? She wasn’t the type to wear beanies, nor did any of her previous friends.

“Kim?” Her mother called, snapping her out of her thought. “You’ve been down there awhile.”

“I’m fine mom! Just checking around.”

A beat. “Well hurry up, I need you to finish unpacking.”

She looked back at the furnace. Just looking at the hulking metal object sent shivers down her spine. A nauseous sensation rose up in her stomach.  And as she headed upstairs, records and beanie in tow, Kim vowed never to return to the basement again.

 ….

It took several days before anything strange started happening.

It started with little occurrences, events Kim would chalk up to being lapses in her memory. Or her ADHD mind being its usual self.

Books would be knocked off her shelf and become strewn open, as if someone had left reading them. Moving boxes would fall at random. The echoes of footsteps from the attic continued.

But what really stuck out were the vivid dreams.

On the fifth night since moving in, she dreamt of waves crashing on a distant shore, and a girl in a long yellow dress.

Kim carefully lifted herself off the ground and took in her surroundings. The beach went on seemingly forever. The sun was beginning to set, turning the sky a faint pinkish orange. 

In the distance she saw the figure of a girl standing amid the waves. The water splashed around her feet, reaching her ankles. Kim found herself running to the girl, and no sooner as she reached her she was grabbing the girl's shoulder to turn her around. But as her hand made contact, flesh evaporated into mist. All around her, mist swirled. The world turned hazy. Wisps of fog drifted across black water. Waves crashed before her body.

And as the world turned black, Kim found herself back in her bed, having woken from the dream.

Kim looked around, taking in her surroundings. She glanced at her bedside alarm clock. 3:31 AM.

She shivered slightly, the room had grown cold despite the radiator humming in the far corner. It was pitch black outside, rain pattering against the window, sending droplets inside through the small opening. She turned her bedside lamp on and tossed her coverlet to the side. It took several tries to shove the window frame down.

Behind her the door creaked open. Kim turned around at the noise. The darkness of the hallway filtered through. But as she turned her back she could've sworn she saw a figure move behind her. Kim turned around. In the corner of her vision, she detected movement in the darkness of the great room, something pale in the open entryway. She instantly turned to see what was there.

Nothing was there at all but pitch black darkness.

Kim’s heart beat faster. She jerked her head to the left. Something had again moved along the edge of her field of vision, she was sure of it. It had crossed in front of her doorway, like a wisp of smoke.

Kim edged back into her bed. Something was there. Something had to be there. The halogen lamp on her bedside table flickered, then with a spark, died.

The room grew colder. Kim could feel her breath in front of her.

Nothing was there now. Nothing could be there.

It was cold, terribly cold, and— She opened her eyes wide. She held her breath, afraid to move.

A floor board popped somewhere in the room.

The cold intensified.

Her fingers dug into the mattress as she waited. _Its here,_ she thought.

She felt the mattress dip. Kim froze in sheer terror, clutching the bedsheets tightly. She could feel her heart beat erratically, fear rising. _Go away. Just go away. Just go away–_

She reached out a hand, and somehow in her imagination, she felt what may have been cold fingers lace themselves with hers, before pulling back immediately.        

The mattress undipped. Floor boards popped in quick succession. The creaks and pops continued up the staircase to the third floor, then across the third floor to another spot where they became more distant. It sounded like someone was ascending another stairway, toward the attic. The warmth slowly returned and the lights flicked back on.

Its brilliance blinded Kim for a few moments as she got to her feet slowly and surveyed the room.

Alone. Nothing amiss.

No one but herself.

….

“Kim? Are you alright? You've been pretty quiet. Did something happen last night? ” Maddy asked her daughter at breakfast the next morning. Kim shrugged, shoulders slumped from tiredness as she poured herself a cup of coffee and proceeded to gulp the black liquid down. “Mmmfine,” she mumbled, taking a seat at the kitchen table. Her mom shot a concerned glance at her, but didn’t press further.

Kim wasn’t fine. How could she after the encounter last night? She felt her eyelids droop down in tiredness and quickly rubbed at them. Her vision blurred. She had spent the rest of the night wide awake, bedside lamp on, staring back at the dark hallway till the sun rose up, waiting for something, anything to appear. But nothing came.

Kim tried focusing on the food in front of her, she picked at the french toast. She bit into it, then set her fork down.

How could she concentrate on eating when all she thought about was her encounter last night?

But she couldn't have imagined it. Something was with her last night. There was no possible explanation, unless it was her meds causing her to hallucinate.

Kim sighed.

She spent the rest of the morning and afternoon setting up the record player. By sunset, the soft voice of Karen Carpenter echoed throughout her room. For the first time since moving in, Kim felt herself relax. She closed her eyes and let her body sway to the music. She danced, stretching her muscles, causing her shirt to lift over, revealing her bare stomach.

She allowed her hands to rub over herself, touching her breasts. She felt something tense in her gut. A familiar hunger. A deep warmth pooling inside herself, raw and aching, and begging for relief.

Oh.

Of course.

She hadn’t had time to touch herself since moving in. Hadn’t felt the desire too amid the hustle of unpacking and organizing. But the feeling remained there, building up slowly over the days until it all but burst open.

Inhaling deeply, Kim laid down on her bed, pushing her hand under the waistband of her sweatpants, gently grazing her fingers over her cotton underwear. She softly moaned as her fingers felt the damp fabric above her mound. The warmth grew deeper, hotter and she slipped her fingers under the cotton, spreading her legs. Kim gasped as her fingers touched her core. She began the slow undulation of fingers against core, starting slow, before speeding up. The pleasure inside her built up, and soon she felt her body humming, ready to reach its peak.

And as Kim was about to slide her fingers towards her center, a loud slam and crash echoed throughout the room. She sat up and instantly took her hand out of her panties. Kim’s heart beat rapidly, her arousal dropping steadily. She looked down from her bed to investigate and saw that several moving boxes had been knocked down, spreading their contents all over the floor.

Kim flopped back onto her bed in annoyance. She had no energy left to clean up, the combination of exhaustion and previous arousal leaving no willingness within her.

Must of been the wind, she thought. She ignored the fact that her window was closed and tried to not wonder what might have caused it.

As Kim drifted to sleep, she thought she felt lips brush against her cheek, and a soft gentle voice whisper into her ear. “Look for me.” It said.

 …

Kim spent the rest of winter break unpacking her stuff and moving furniture into place. As she adjusted their couch, she took in the new surroundings that she would now call home. According to her mom, the house hadn’t been occupied fully since the late 70’s. Strange events would occur, and no sooner as they had moved in, all former tenants would move out.

Both her parents didn’t believe in any sort of supernatural nonsense. So as soon as the opportunity arose, they had packed their bags and moved into the Victorian.

Kim had just finished putting away her clothes when she heard the scuffle of footsteps above, coming from the attic. Her brow wrinkled in confusion. Curiosity growing, she decided to investigate. As Kim ascended the staircase, she felt the temperature steadily drop. The hairs of her arm began to stand on end. Behind the attic door, she could hear scuffling footsteps.

She leaned forward and reached for the brass door handle. Kim instantly recoiled at the biting coldness of the metal knob. Behind the door the noises stop.

Kim swallowed her growing fear. Someone, or something was in the attic. She had to know.

She slowly opened the attic door, ignoring the cold metal, and stepped carefully inside.

Thick cobwebs hung from wooden rafters, grazing her face as she took in her surroundings. Kim waved them aside, sending motes of dust flying in the air. Unlike the basement, the attic was huge, stocked full of old furniture covered in plastic sheets. Metal frame beds with old mattresses were shoved to the side. Bookshelves lined the wall, most of their contents scattered around the floor. A few were opened to random pages, as if someone was just in the middle of reading them.

But there couldn’t be? No one had occupied the house since–

Her thoughts were interrupted as the the air against her face grew cooler. The floorboard creaked behind her.  Relax, Kim told herself. Relax nothing is there. Nothing is–

The temperature fell rapidly. Kim saw a shift in movement in the corner of her eye.   She thought she _had_ seen something to her side, a cloud of mist or smoke about chest height. Kim had the impression that there had been more to see, maybe even details of a face, but she couldn’t bring herself to look and find out.

She stood rooted to her spot. _Ghosts weren’t real,_ Kim thought. They were just stories to scare kids into behaving. None of it was scientifically possible. None of it could be real.    

But she had to know. She had to prove to herself that this was all just a silly misunderstanding, that her anxiety was playing mental tricks on her.

The impulse of curiosity overcame her. Gulping down the fear in her chest, Kim turned around.

Transparent eyes stared back at her.

Kim tried to scream.

She tried to gasp, tried to make some sort of noise. But the air stayed lodged in her throat, leaving her wide eyed, mouth gaping open at the transparent figure before her.

The shock of her discovery, the shock of seeing the girl from her dreams broke any remaining doubts she had.

It was unmistakable. She was real. The ghost was real.

Kim could make out the faint outline of a girl amid the mixture of mist and shadow.

She looked up, and saw the misty  outline of the ghost peak out from behind a pile of boxes. It watched her curiously, before floating towards her. Mist swirled around its form, condensing.

Kim could feel the sudden thump thump thump of her heart beat in quickly growing succession.

She turned around to run, but the attic door swung shut with a loud bang, snapping the deadbolt and locking the knob in moments.

So this was how she was gonna die, Kim thought. Trapped in an attic with a vengeful ghost.

Great.

The ghost floated closer, and Kim realized she was shaking, rooted to the ground covered in cold sweat. Her skin prickled with gooseflesh as the ghost drew nearer and nearer. Kim backed into the door.  She took in the ghost’s white cheeks and pale limbs, how the striped shirt and flared overalls it wore hung slightly loosely from its frame, its wide unblinking eyes, and its failure to breathe.

 _Please don’t hurt me. Please. I won’t hurt you. Please. Please._ Kim begged inside her mind.

The ghost leaned in, staring closely into Kim’s face, and—

 _I won’t hurt you_ , said a soft voice.

Kim’s eyes widened.

 _Can you hear me?_ said an unmistakable female voice in Kim’s mind.

“Wh-what?” said Kim in disbelief.

 _You_ can _hear me, then._ the voice said in awe.The ghost kept her eyes locked on Kim’s.

“Oh my god,” Kim gasped. “You’re real. Oh my god you’re actually real–”

 _Well of course I’m real_ , the voice sounded slightly offended and Kim couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh.

“You’ve been watching me.” Kim stated bluntly. “All this time I thought I’ve been imagining things. I thought I was going crazy.”

 _You’re not crazy_ , the ghost said gently. The ghost tilted its head to the side, watching Kim curiously. Waiting for Kim to reply.

But Kim remained silent, body still frozen from shock. She tried to move, tried to look away from the ghost, but found herself caught in its unwavering gaze. The spirit continued to stare into Kim's eyes, expression unreadable. Something about its stare caused her heart beat faster. She hadn't realized her body was trembling, hadn't even noticed tears beginning to form at the corner of her eyes. Even after the ghost's gentle assurance, Kim found herself looking away. Her body slid down the doorframe, until she was leaning against it, seated on the dusty floor with her knees brought up to her chest. 

It moved ever so forward, inching towards Kim.

If you move now, you can leave. You jsut need to 

All the while Kim felt something gently probe at the back of her mind.  The feeling grew, It wasn't liked anything she had ever felt before. Instinct told her to run for it. Open the door and get

 _I’m sorry if I scared you. It’s just, I haven’t really talked to anyone in so long._  She could faintly make out a stripped shirt and flared overalls amid its misty form.

“It’s alright,” Kim spoke softly, “I’m not really used to talking to anyone who’s–”

_Dead?_

Kim winced. “Yeah, dead.”

Kim straightened her back. This was insane. She had to be dreaming. None of this could be real none of it–

 _You’re not dreaming,_ the voice spoke in her mind, and Kim could've sworn she heard it laugh.

Kim froze in shock. _You can hear me?!_

Kim could have sworn the ghost smiled wide. It drifted closer _Only when you’re nearby_ . _You sing in your head sometimes, when you know your parents are around. It’s kinda cute._ Kim flushed at the admission. _You have a beautiful voice._

“Thank–thank you?” She said, half terrified and flattered. Wasn’t everyday you got complimented by a spirit.

The ghost floated upward, drifting around in place. Wisps of mist trailed from it.

 _I understand if you’re scared._ And the voice in her head seemed sadder, angrier almost. _I don’t blame you…_ The ghost shook her head and looked away. Its form faded, becoming mistier. _Monsters should stay out of sight._

Kim frowned, “You’re not a monster.”

The ghost turned around, and Kim couldn’t imagine a sadder, broodier spirit. _Am I? All I’ve done is frighten you_ it said before fading away into mist.

“Wait don’t go!”

The ghost flickered back into sight, mist swirling around its translucent form. It looked at Kim curiously.

Kim swallowed down her fear. “Promise me you’ll be back.” she whispered to the ghost.

Among the mist Kim could faintly make out a sad smile. Moments passed before she heard one word in her mind.

_Ok._

And with that it disappeared into the darkness. The bitter chill had passed. The room temperature began to rise.

The attic door unlocked and swung carefully open.

The ghost was gone. And once more Kim was alone.

…

Kim didn’t dream of the ghost girl that night. She woke up, brushing stray hair out of her face, and goes about her morning routine as normal. Because everything was normal. There was no such thing as ghosts. No such thing as dead girls made of mist lurking in her attic.

And everything seemed perfectly normal until she returns to her bedroom. Kim was halfway through her doorway when she see’s _her_. The ghost floated above her bed, sitting cross legged, flipping through one of Kim’s magazines. Its form was less misty, more solid, and Kim could faintly see it was dressed in the striped shirt and flared overall pants.

The clothes it died in.

The ghost looked up, noting Kim’s surprised expression. Amid the mist, Kim could make out a shy smile.

 _Hi,_ it said.

“Hi,” Kim said back.

And the next thing Kim knew, her eyes were rolling back into her head, and she was falling backwards fainting toward the hardwood floor.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know how the hell I managed to write an entire chapter of trimberly without mentioning Trini' name lol.
> 
> Otherwise, next chapter has waaaayyyyyy more Trimberly goodness, some gay dream sequences, and more of Trini's past get's revealed.
> 
> Stay tuned!
> 
> Trini's outfit is based directly off this one: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/78742693461971380/


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kim learns the name of the mysterious broody ghost and discovers more about her...

Kim was falling.

 

She was falling and falling with no ground to catch her. Lights tumbled all around her vision, and slowly the blackness surrounding her turned bright.

 

And as she fell the fabric of her pajamas tore itself, then reformed, fabric rippling into lace and silk.

 

Then, by blind chance, she felt her body slow down, before she was floating downward and landing on her feet gently.

 

Kim found herself inside an opulent ballroom made of marble stone. Giant columns lined the edges. All around her were dancers, various animal masks covering their faces, as they twirled around her in gowns. Kim watched the dance in amazement, and the dancers watched her, from behind their masks. Feeling all eyes on her, Kim looked up to avoid their gaze and let out a small gasp The ceiling was velvet black–no, there was no ceiling. Above her the moon shined bright, framed against a multitude of shining stars.

 

She was dreaming. She looked down at herself and saw that her pajamas had been replaced by a light rose ball gown that left her shoulders bare. There was no way this was real.  No way in hell would she be caught wearing something so ridiculous.

 

Her thoughts were broken as someone grasped her hand, and Kim felt herself be passed from dancer to dancer. The ballroom seemed endless. And with each new partner she felt herself grow dizzier and dizzier until–

 

At the center of the ballroom amid the dancers stood a short girl, dressed in a regal tuxedo with a yellow bowtie. A porcelain tiger mask covered her face, dark rivulets of hair cascading over it. Kim felt her breath catch in her throat at the sight of the ghost. She’s beautiful, Kim thought to herself.

 

The ghost smiled broadly from underneath her mask, all lips and no teeth. She held out gloved hand to Kim.  "Would you like to dance with me?" The ghost asked softly.

 

Kim hesitated for a moment. Everything about this dream, from the ballroom to the ghost was so strange, so real and unreal at the same time. She wasn’t sure where reality began or ended.

But something about the girl before her, tentative and shy, felt genuine and real. She saw the ghost’s face waver, accepting Kim’s unspoken rejection. Kim shook her head, before she tentatively reached out and took the other girls hands in hers. Underneath the mask the ghost smiled shyly.

 

The ghost took Kim in her arms and soon they were dancing in each other’s arms across the ballroom.

 

“Am I dead?” Kim asked moments after.

 

The girl giggled underneath her mask. _You're as dead as I am alive._

 

“So…. You are _real_.”

 

The ghost quirked her brow and gave Kim a bemused look. _Didn’t we already establish that yesterday in the attic?_

 

“Last I checked most people don’t expect to move into a haunted house.” Kim replied

 

_Well, you’re not wrong._

 

The music grew in tempo and Kim found herself being twirled around in the ghost’s arms across the ballroom. Somehow, her dizziness ceased as she spun around the ballroom in  
the ghosts arms. She took in the girl’s appearance. The ghost was still pale and slightly blue, but unlike their previous encounters, her form seemed to be solid.

 

“You dance pretty well for a dead girl.” Kim blurted out, then immediately regretted it. Damn impulsiveness, she thought. She didn’t mean to sound so rude.

 

  
The ghost wrinkled her nose in amusement. _It’s fine. Not every day you get to dance in someone’s dreams._

 

The music shifted to a slow waltz. All around them the dancers slowly disappeared, until just the two of them remained. Kim found herself for the first time in months enjoying herself. The touch of the ghost’s hands on her body was thrilling. To dance with her seemed the easiest and most natural motion.

 

Behind the mask the ghost smiled widely. _Do you always dream of yourself as a princess, Princesa?_

 

Their foreheads were nearly touching. Kim’s eyes flickered down to the ghost’s lips.  “Depends.” she whispered. “Most of them aren’t occupied with a handsome stranger like you.”

 

Kim could have imagined the ghost giving a snort. _Am I really a stranger?_

 

Kim laughed. “I’ve only known you for several days. Give a girl a break. I don’t even know your name.” They continued their waltz,  and Kim felt her mind drift off. No words were spoken between them, until a quiet voice broke her trance.

 

_It’s Trini. My name is Trini._

 

Something about a name so simple, so beautiful Kim thought, felt familiar. Like she had heard it before, in a distant memory sometime long ago. Kim looked into the ghost’s eyes and found the other girl–Trini– stare back. Behind the mask, Kim saw a gleam of something, of soft loving affection, in the other girl’s brown eyes.

 

“My name’s Kimberly.” she said.

 

 _I know Princesa,_ Trini said gently.

 

The music slowed. Kim felt herself lean slightly into Trini’s  body. She adjusted her hold on the other girl’s shoulders, allowing her arms to slip to her waist. Both girls remained quiet, Kim allowing herself to settle into the other girl’s arms.

 

“So….” Kim began, and Trini cocked her head in interest.

 

_Go on._

 

“Do you normally do that?” Kim asked teasingly.

 

Behind the mask Trini’s brow furrowed in confusion. _Do what?_

 

Kim couldn’t help the giant smirk forming on her face.  “You know... Walk in on girls enjoying themselves?”

 

The hands against her waist went slack and Kim felt Trini’s form shimmer, turning translucent, before losing its solidity. Kim felt her hands slip through Trini’s waist, grasping onto air.

 

 _I– uh. Um I. I didn’t– I didn’t mean to– I–_ Trini stuttered nervously, taking several steps back.  Kim could have sworn the girl was blushing behind her mask..

 

Her form was losing shape, mist spilling onto the ballroom floor. Her eyes darted elsewhere, trying to look anywhere, but into Kim’s own.

 

“Hey. It was unintentional.” Kim said gently. She stepped forward a bit, slowly at first so as to not scare the other girl off. “It’s alright.” She placed a hand gently on Trini’s shoulder. This time it didn’t clip through.

 

Trini’s eyes widened at the touch.

 

_I– uhhhhhh._

 

“Trini… It was a mistake. Mistakes happen.” Kim said in concern, trying to comfort the girl.

 

_I– I should go. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be lurking in your dreams._

 

Kim shook her head. That didn’t matter to her. What mattered was making sure this girl was comfortable enough so that she didn’t vanish again.

 

But before she could say anything, Trini was fading again, her form rippling, becoming mistier and mistier, before fading away all together.

  

Trini was gone. And just like the ghost, the ballroom slowly dissolved into darkness. The ground cracked below her, and suddenly Kim was falling and falling until–

 

…

 

The first thing Kim registered when she woke up was the throbbing of her back and the soreness of her head. She was sprawled on the floor, arms outward and face toward the ceiling.

She was back in her bedroom. Light filtered in gently through her windows, casting shadows on motes of dust. She sat up carefully, groaning at the dull pain of her fall. How long was she out? She glanced at her bedside clock. 11:05? Her eyes widened. Four hours? She was out for four hours. Somehow her dream with Trini felt shorter.

 

Speaking of which…., Kim thought as she surveyed the room. An usually cold breeze filled the room, causing her skin to break out in gooseflesh. 

 

“Trini I know you’re still here.” Kim said out loud, slightly annoyed. “I can feel it.” Kim shivered at the cold, crossing her arms to conserve heat. She waited for a reply, for any sign that the ghost heard her, but received none.

 

“Fine. Play the silent game then.” As soon as the words came out, Kim winced at her clipped tone. She couldn’t deny it was rude. But what was ruder, Kim thought as she sat on her bed, was having a girl enter your dreams then immediately leave them as soon as she tried comforting her.  

 

Across the room, the closet door creaked open, before closing itself with a snap. Tendrils of faint mist wafted from the crack beneath the door.  

 

Kim narrowed her eyes. She slowly got up from her bed and gently opened the closet door.

 

In the corner of her closet blue mist gathered. At the sight of Kim, it began to condense upon itself, forming a body, then limbs, then a face. Seconds later Trini appeared, huddled in the far corner. She sat on the ground surrounded by a pile of Kim’s dirty clothes, arms wrapped around her knees. Her eyes were wide. She’d been caught.

 

“What are you doing in my closet?” Kim asked bemusedly, hands on her hips.

 

If Trini wasn’t already dead, Kim could have sworn the ghost was blushing furiously.

 

 _It’s where I hide sometimes okay?!,_ Trini said flustered, looking sheepishly away.

 

“In my closet?”

 

_Well it wasn’t always your closet!_

 

“You really don’t get how ironic this is, do you?”

 

_What’s ironic about me being in the closet?!_

 

Kim was too busy laughing to notice the footsteps approaching her room and her mother calling out from the hallway.

 

“Kim? What’s all that noise? Is someone with you?!”

 

“Quick hide!” Kim shoved the closet door shut, before jumping onto her bed. She grabbed the magazine Trini left, and flipped to a random page.  A knock on her door, and Kim looked up, to see her mother entering, frowning in confusion.

 

“Kim? We’re you talking to someone just now?”

 

Behind her mom, Kim saw her closet door crack open, and a faint blue wisp glided out, before vanishing into the air.

 

Kim peaked up from behind the magazine.“No,  I was just talking to myself. You know, basic teen stuff.”

 

Her mother gave her a disbelieving look. “Uh huh. I don't care if you're talking to yourself, but I better not catch you sneaking boys through your window again…” Mrs. Hart began warningly.

 

Kim rolled her eyes, “Pretty sure that past is behind me mom.” _Besides_ , Kim thought, I _’d rather be sneaking in girls…_

 

A soft laugh echoed in her mind. Kim jumped in place. Mrs. Hart failed to notice her daughter’s wide eyes staring at the closet.

 

“Have you been listening to me, Kim? Do we need to get your med’s checked again? I swear you always space out when I’m trying to talk to you…” Mrs. Hart crossed her arms, giving her daughter a pointed look.

 

“I’m fine mom, jeez.”

 

Her mother continued, voice raising, “And you need to remember to close your window at night. It’s freezing cold in here!” she said before turning around to leave.

 

Kim waited until she heard her mom’s footsteps reach the bottom floor. She flung herself onto her bed, allowing her body to dip into the mattress. She turned around to lay on her back, staring momentarily at the ceiling and wooden rafters, before grabbing her face with the stray magazine. God, why did Indian mothers have to be so extra? Her shoulders slumped and she allowed herself to slouch. Kim felt herself relax, eyelids drooping, before a voice above her spoke in amusement.

 

_You do realize you were reading it upside down, right?_

 

Kim let out a yelp, startled. The magazine slid off her face as she sat up. She opened her eyes and found herself staring up at a very bemused looking Trini. The ghost floated above her in a reclining position, resting her head on crossed arms, smirking.

 

“I see you’ve come out of the closet already.”

 

Trini floated down to the bed, crossing her legs, sitting a foot away from Kim.

 

 _Was that your mom?_ she asked, cocking her head.

 

Kim tossed the magazine to the floor. “Unfortunately.” she said rubbing her eyes.

 

Trini raised an eyebrow. _She seems nice enough._

 

“Eh, she’s alright.”

 

“Are you just going to float above me all day, staring at my face or…?” Kim trailed off, grinning

 

Trini’s eyes widened. Her body became mistier, losing shape.

 

_No–no. I wasn’t. No. I was just about to–_

 

“Hey, it’s alright. No need to disappear again.”

 

Much to Kim’s surprise, Trini stayed. Her form was still mistier, with tendrils of smoke snaking from her hair.  She tilted her head to the side, face confused.

 

_What was weird about me coming out of the closet?_

 

"It's an expression people use today, to describe someone who hasn’t made their gayness public."

 

_Gay?_

 

“Wait… You don’t know what being gay is?”

 

Trini’s expression darkened. She ran her hand through her misty hair, and Kim could've sworn she saw a faint, deep gash peeking out from her hairline.   _I know what it means. It’s just, where I came from–_ when _I came from, it wasn’t something we were supposed to be talking about. Not in public, much less inside the House because–_ Trini shook nervously.

 

Kim didn’t press any further. “I understand.” she said softly

 

 _"But why the closet?_ Trini asked curiously, breaking the silence. _Why not the kitchen? Perhaps the attic?"_

 

Of all things, Kim never imagined herself explaining being closeted to a ghost.

 

“It’s kind of an expression we use to describe someone who hasn’t told anyone they’re gay.”

 

 _Oh._ Trini was silent for a moment before asking, _Are you…. Gay?_

 

Kim blinked in surprise. She wasn’t expecting that. For a moment she resisted speaking further, but something about the way Trini sat attentively, so enthralled and fascinated by the subject, pushed her to speak.  “I guess you could sorta say so. I mean, personally I see myself as being bisexual.”

 

_So… does that mean you like girls?_

 

“I like both guys and girls, so you're half right." A pause as Kim registered Trini's confusion, "Wait you’ve never heard of being bisexual before?”

 

Trini shook her head. _No, we’ve never used that term where–when_ , she corrected, _I was alive._

 

“That makes sense, I guess.”

 

Trin was silent again, before perking up _. So... Does that mean you’ve had sex with a girl before?!_

 

 Her eyes widened at the ghost's bluntness. "Wha–what?" she stuttered out. That came out of freaking nowhere. Where’d the girl get that from? It was hard to ignore Trini’s wonder and amazement at the confession. But then she remembered that Trini could sense her thoughts, and well, to Kim’s credit it was hard not to think about her previous times with girls given the topic.

 

But she swallowed down the embarrassment, figuring that being gay, being perfectly okay with being gay was something new for the ghost. She was from a different era after all.

 

Kim blushed. “Uhhhhh yeah, twice before. Once with my best– well, ex-best friend.”

 

_Ex-best friend?_

 

“I rather not talk about it.”

 

_And the second time?_

 

Kim’s blush grew. She never imagined herself detailing her sexual history with a ghost, much less a cute ghost that happened to haunt the house she lived. Wait a minute? Cute? Kim shook her head, trying to expel the thought, before continuing.

 

“She was the captain of Angel Grove High’s soccer team. We were more like fuck-buddies than girlfriends to be honest. ” Kim continued.

 

 _What’s that ?_ Trini asked curiously.

 

“What’s what? Soccer team?”

 

 _No, the other word. You know…_ And Kim couldn’t help but notice how embarrassed Trini looked.

 

“Fuck-buddy?”

 

Trini’s form wavered, becoming mistier in embarrassment. _Yeah, that._

 

“Wait, you’ve never heard of a fuck-buddy before?” Kim asked in amazement.

 

Trini shook her head. _Nope. Never used that term. If I got caught saying something like that, Ms. Hillard would’ve kicked me out._

 

“Wait who’s Mrs.Hill–”

 

 _Anyway–_ Trini said, voice slightly raised.

 

Sensing that Trini wanted to change the subject, Kim let out a laugh and relaxed into her bed. “We really need to get you caught up with the latest teen lingo then.” An idea began to form in her head.

 

Kim grabbed her laptop from her bedside table and flipped it open. Trini stared wide eyed at the screen in wonderment.

 

“You’ve never seen a computer before, have you?”

 

_No, not really. Sometimes the previous people who lived here would go on there computers for work or whatever. But I’d only catch a glimpse of it before…._

 

Before she scared them off, Kim thought.

 

Trini winced. _Yeah, that._ And once more, Kim found herself regretting her words.

 

Kim apologized, “Sorry, forgot you could hear my thoughts.”

 

_It’s okay. But what was it you were about to show me?_

 

‘Oh yeah. Well we have this great thing called Netflix now…”

 

...

 

The next morning Kim woke to the sound of frying and the banging of pots and pans coming from the kitchen downstairs.

 

She groaned and rubbed her eyes. It was to early for this much noise. She glanced over at her alarm clock. 8:45.

 

That’s weird, she thought. Her parents were already at work by now. Last she checked she was the only person, well living person, inside the house right now. So that meant–

 

She quickly descended the stairs to investigate and carefully peeked over the banister. Kim could hear more shuffling coming from their kitchen. She could have sworn she saw a mixing bowl float right by the doorway with a spoon stirring by itself. She blinked, and headed downstairs to investigate.

 

In the center of the kitchen was Trini, floating in front of the stovetop. Kim walked closer towards the girl and was about to say something before a frying pan went flying towards her.

 

She ducked just in time as Trini turned around, maneuvering the pan onto the stovetop. She flickered her wrist, and the fridge door opened, bacon, eggs, and chives flying from it.

 

“Trini what are you doing this early in the kitchen…?” Kim yawned. Her eye’s widened as she processed the whole scene. “What the fuck–”

Trini was floating a foot above the ground in front of the stove, waving her hands around, maneuvering various floating kitchen utensils and ingredients. Behind her, a spoon was mixing batter by itself in mid air. To her right, a knife was steadily chopping onions on it’s own. Without using her hands, Trini was busy flipping pancakes off the griddle onto a growing stack. Kim’s stomach grumbled.

 

The ghost turned around and gave Kim a shy smile. Behind the ghost, the pancakes were still being flipped and stacked by themselves.

 

 _Hi_ , Trini said softly. _Um, I hope you don't mind, but I may have gone through your fridge to see what you have. And, I’ve noticed you sometimes forget to feed yourself, so I thought I would, um, cook for you._

 

Kim was silent, mind processing the scene in front of her.

 

 _I hope you don’t mind_ , Trini looked down at the floor, shying away. _I just thought you’d like something different…_

 

Kim snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. “No, no. I love it. No friend of mine has ever made me breakfast before.”

 

Trini gave a shy glance, smile broadening until dimples appeared. Kim felt her heart melt at the sight.

 

_I’m your friend…?_

 

“Well, of course you are.”  Why wouldn’t she be? After dancing together in her dreams, bonding over Netflix, it made enough sense.

 

At Kim’s response Trini’s smile grew even wider.

 

Kim scooted over to where Trini was standing, “You need any help cooking?” she asked.

 

_I’m good. You just sit back and watch._

 

“Are you sure? I can cook.”

 

Trini turned around, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. _Uh huh. Last time you tried making breakfast you burnt toast. Burnt toast isn’t a meal._

 

“So…?”

 

 _It looked deader than me_ , Trini said pointedly.

 

“Wait… How’d you know about–?  We’re you watching me cook the other day?” she frowned in confusion, thinking back to the several time’s she cooked this week.

 

 _Maybe._ A pause. _Okay, yeah sometimes. It’s kinda entertaining to watch. Like I don’t understand how someone can make perfect poached eggs but burns their toast._

 

“Maybe I like my toast burnt...” Kim replied defensively.

 

_Who likes charred bread?_

 

Not wanting to argue, Kim settled down into her seat at the kitchen table, folding her arms in front of her. Her eye’s were halfway open, still tired from waking early.

 

A cup of hot coffee floated towards her, landing right by her hand. Kim gratefully took a sip. She looked down, noticing the light tan color of the liquid. One-fifth milk. The way she always liked it.

 

Moments later Kim was digging into the full course breakfast Trini had prepared for her. It was comprised of all her favorites, poached eggs, bacon, pancakes, french toast. Kim couldn’t remember the last time she had a genuine home cooked meal. Most of the time her parents resorted to take out, as their long hours and erratic schedules at the hospital prevented them from settling down and getting to cook in the kitchen.

 

So it was an odd, yet pleasant change, to not be eating alone by herself in the morning for once.

 

Kim was too busy digging into the food to notice Trini staring at her. She briefly glanced up from her plate, and seeing the ghost’s longing look, gestured for her to come sit down.

 

Trini floated away from the stove, passing through the table, before settling down at the chair right across from Kim. She folded her arms and stared aimlessly at the food in front of her. Trini sighed.

 

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Kim asked between mouthfuls. “ You made so much food, you need to at least have some.”

 

Trini was silent for a moment before she spoke with a tired expression. _I can’t._

 

Guilt rose up inside Kim. God, why’d she have to be so insensitive, stuffing her mouth full while the girl in front of her couldn’t even eat?

 

 _Hey, it’s alright_ , Trini said reading her mind. _I’m used to it by now_ . _I don’t mind cooking for you; you needed to eat something good for once anyway..._

 

Silence lingered between the two girls before Kim cleared her throat. She scooted closer to where Trini was floating in a seated position. “Tell me about yourself. You’ve already figured out who I am from watching me–” Kim could have sworn Trini blushed despite being dead, “what was it like living in the 70’s?”

 

Trini looked at her, blinking in confusion. _How’d you know what decade I was from?_

 

“No one today would be wearing your outfit. Not that it’s a bad outfit–” she caught her words, gesturing towards Trini’s permanent outfit, “it’s really adorable on you. The stripes and overalls just… suit you.”

 

Trini gave her a shy smile. _Thank you. I like your clothes too,_ she gestured a misty hand towards Kim’s sweatpants and hoodie combo.

 

“This, really?" Kim sheepishly looked down at her sweats.  "I only just got out of bed wearing this.”

 

Trini’s gaze fell to her lap, and again, Kim could've sworn the ghost was blushing. _It looks really good on you. Everything you wear looks great on you Kim..._

 

Kim tried not to linger on what that meant.

 

 _But going back to what you asked me,_ _I never really left town. Mrs. Hillard wouldn’t allow us._

 

‘Mrs. Hillard?”

 

The ghost’s lips pursed in displeasure. _She was our caretaker. Took us all in at some point in our lives. Jason was the first. Then Billy, then Zack, and finally me. We were all orphaned; had no place to go. Took us in when no one else wanted to. God, they were my best friends._ A sad fleeting smile passed over Trini’s face.

 

Trini paused, lacing her hands together, then continued. _Mrs. Hilliard was the widow of a wealthy mine owner. Made a fortune off the gold here in Angel Grove after the war. Took care of us. Feed us. Gave us a home. Sure she made us tend to the property, but otherwise it was all nice and peachy. Things we’re fine._ Kim noticed the twinge of resentment in Trini’s voice.

 

“And then..?”

 

Trini shuddered _. One day, something changed. I… I don’t remember what caused it to happened, but it was as if the nice old lady who took us in and fed and cared for us was gone. And in her place was an abusive monster..._

 

“What happened to them? Your friends?”

 

 _Not sure. They’re probably middle aged by now,_ she laughed.   _Just the idea of them being adults… God I can just picture Zack with a greying hair and a beer belly. Christ, we were all sixteen or seventeen. Just...looking back it feels so strange. Because one moment I was alive, and the next..._ Trini grew silent.

 

“You don’t have to continue.” she said gently.

 

Trini shook her head. _No, Kim it’s alright. I’ve been dead for almost 50 years now. I’ve come to terms with being dead . It’s just... I remember_ so little _of my life before. It’s strange, like I feel like I should know what living was like. What my_ life _was like beyond stray bits and pieces of memory. What it was like before I died._ She looked down at the table in concentration. Her brow furrowed.

 

_I remember there was  five of us living with Mrs. Hillard. Me, then Jason. Billy and Zack. But someone else– I don’t remember who. And you know what’s funny? You’re gonna think it’s strange, because whenever I see you, I get the feeling that I’ve seen you befo–_

 

A loud buzz interrupted Trini’s voice, and Kim rushed to pick up her phone on the counter.

 

“Kim, honey?” Mrs. Hart’s voice broke from the speaker.

 

“Yeah Mom, what is it?” That was odd, Kim thought, her mom never really called her this early for anything.

 

“ Do you think you could head downtown to Mr. Taylor’s office right now? I forgot to drop off his paycheck for fixing the 2nd floor bathroom next week. It should be on the foyer table, right under the vase.”

 

“Uh yeah, sure Mom. Can you text me the address?”

 

“Of course. And Kim, please don’t burn any more toast. It took several days to get that smell out of the kitchen.”

 

She clicked end on her phone before looking back up at Trini apologetically.

 

“Mom just called. Want’s me to drop of a check for the landlord now.

 

 _No, it’s fine. I can take care of all this, You go ahead and get your work done._ Trini said softly, shoulders slumped. Kim noticed the other girl’s sadness immediately.

 

“Hey, it shouldn’t take long. I’ll be back before–”

 

 _Kim, just go._ Trini’s voice was clipped. She turned around to look away, voice wavering slightly. The room grew colder and Kim shivered.

 

“Alright then.” said Kim, her breath hung visibly in the hair. Behind her, Trini’s form flickered, slowly dissipating into mist and shadow, before disappearing altogether as Kim got up and left.

 

…

 

Kim tried not to think much about Trini’s sudden mood shift over her departure as she drove downtown. She gently tapped the wheel of her mother’s sedan, trying to get her thoughts to focus elsewhere. She turned the corner of Bishop Avenue, heading down a path she had only briefly passed by before. Soon she was parking alongside Angel Grove’s Old Town District, a mixture of mom and pop shops and quiet cafes nestled within the edges of town.

 

She got out of the car and looked at the storefront in confusion. TAYLOR AND SONS BOOKS AND ANTIQUES This couldn’t be the right place? Why would her landlord work in a bookstore?

 

Kim glanced back down at the address her mother texted her. She looked back at the storefront window. Both addresses matched.

 

“Uh, hello?” No one responded as she walked in, taking in the store’s homey, musty atmosphere. Books were stacked on the floor in piles extending to her chest. More books, a mixture of old and new, were shelved in large oak shelves lining the walls. Various antiques were pushed off to the side marked with price tags.

At the end of the store was a large desk. Behind it, an entry doorway to what she imagined was a storage room.

 

“Why would anyone want to sell all this stuff…? She said quietly to herself, taking in the mixture of books and ancient furniture.

 

“You’d be surprised how much money rare bookstores can make.” A voice spoke loudly from behind her. Kim jumped in surprise and turned around. A man in a blazer and khaki pants walked from behind a shelf. There was a gentle aura surrounding him that stood out against the baggy eyelids, hardened wrinkles, and midnight shadow. Behind his wireframe glasses was a small faint scar cutting from his left eye down to his cheek.

 

“See,” Mr. Taylor began. “The key is to go to estate sales and sell all the good stuff on Amazon. Can net about a thousand on average, even more if you’re lucky.”

 

He settled down carefully into a plush cushioned desk chair, leaning back and placing his feet on top of the desk.

 

“I didn’t know you ran a bookstore.”

 

The man laughed. “Most people don’t till they come in here. Think I just spend most of my day tending to that house of yours. Speaking of which…” he smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye.

 

“Seen any ghosts yet…?”

 

“Wha–what.” Kim sputtered.

 

Mr. Taylor let out a hefty laugh. “I’m just messin’ with ya kid. Course, that’s what people have been saying about that place for years. All the previous tenants I’ve leased that place too say so. So does most of the town.” And he leaned forward, staring into Kim’s eyes, his gaze intense and unwavering . “ Do you believe in any of it?” The scar was more visible, and Kim couldn’t help but let her eyes dart to it.

 

“Where’d you get that scar?” she said and immediately regretted it. She couldn’t help it sometimes, her ADHD would get in the way and soon she’d be blurting out the first thing that came to find.

 

“Sorry.” Kim said. “I have a bad habit of blurting things out sometimes.”

 

“Nah, it’s okay.” Mr.Taylor said brushing it off and stood up. “Most people are too chicken to ask. They just stare at it and shy away from saying anything. I appreciate your honesty.” And Kim could tell he genuinely meant it.

 

“Who's your son?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

 

“Got no son. Just me, myself, and I.” he said in between shelving old hardback books into the shelf behind his desk.  “I only added that so I could sound more legitimate when I first started the shop.” He turned around, grinning. “Worked out in the end. My business flourished and it became what I wanted it to be–legit. People like knowing they’re buying from a trusted business.”

 

“So,” he asked, putting rough calloused hands on his hips, “what are you here for.”

 

Kim furrowed through her bag before pulling out a white envelope. “Mom forgot to give you this, so she sent me to give it to you personally.”

 

Mr. Taylor took the check before pulling out a pocket knife from his toolbelt, ripping open the envelope with one clean sweep. He pulled out the check, eyeing it curiously. “For the pipes I assume?”

 

“Yeah, Mom’s getting tired of the creaking. She’s worried that the water is gonna leak out and flood the house.”

 

“Mmmhmmm.” he scratched his stubble. “Makes sense. I’ll call over a plumber to check it out. I’ll even add a gardener too on the house. I imagine you’re parents want the place to not look overgrown.” He said before heading to the backroom

 

“Wait!” Kim called out, craning her head to see where Mr. Taylor had gone. “You’re the landlord?  Aren’t you supposed to be fixing the house yourself ?”

 

“Haven’t stepped in that place in years. Don’t plan on it anytime soon.”

 

That made no sense. “But you own the house?!”

 

“And now you do. Well, leasing it anyway. Besides, I got my reasons…” And from the backroom Kim could have sworn he muttered, “Can’t step in… To many bad memories. God they were so young…”

He reappeared, walking straight past her. Mr. Taylor was pulling books from a back shelf, before walking back to her, a stack of books in his arms. He handed them over to her.

 

“These are for you, and any other _companions_ who might be interested. My treat.” He gave a wink before disappearing back into the storage room with a gruff laugh.

 

And as Kim walked out to her car with the first four Harry Potter books in her hands, she couldn’t help but think how strange her life had become.

 

…

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll looks like Kim finally knows Trini's name. :D
> 
> This chapter was originally much longer but I decided to cut it into half in order to get it updated on time. I'm gonna stick to a schedule of updating every Sunday or Monday, but expect Chapter 3 to be up sometime later this week, most likely Friday. 
> 
> I wanted to establish Kim and Trini's relationship first before diving into the romantic stuff in the next chapter. Doesn't make sense for them to get together without having a bond first! 
> 
> For historical context, bisexual as a term to describe sexuality wasn't universally used outside of certain circles until around the late 70's. Trini died in 1975 as Kim will soon learn and given her sheltered upbringing wouldn't necessarily know the word.
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, more Trimberly goodness and more gay ghost angst coming up soon! In addition, more of Trini's past will be revealed.


	3. Chapter 3

…

 

As soon as it had started, autumn ended and gave way to the beginnings of winter. Kim found herself no longer in the comfort of her new home, but in the halls of Angel Grove High School.

 

Looking back, Kim had dreaded spending an extra week doing nothing. Her parents requested for a week extension citing their lengthy move in process, and so she had found her Thanksgiving break extended by several days of nothing to do.

 

Losing Amanda and Harper meant she had nothing else to do but stay inside and watch Netflix or go on her computer. Which wasn’t an _entirely_ bad way to spend her Thanksgiving break. But it wasn’t the same as spending time together in Amanda’s hot tub late at night, a cheap bottle of whiskey between them, talking about the latest CW melodrama and just enjoying their shared company. It wasn’t going to their local coffee shops, ordering the most basic white girl fall drink (a guilty pleasure of Kim’s even though she wasn’t white), driving down to the beach, or hanging out with the rest of their cheerleading squad.

 

Three weeks ago Kim would have wished for nothing else but to head back to school early and drown herself in homework.

 

But then Kim met Trini.

 

And just like that, the light that had faded from her life seemed to glow a bit brighter.

 

The shy, broody ghost who just so happened to haunt Kim’s new home. Who insisted on spending her morning’s cooking elaborate breakfasts for Kim. A girl who spent every other minute in Kim’s company, either watching Netflix together and learning about the modern world or sharing

 

Suddenly Kim wasn’t so lonely anymore.

 

Now Kim was grateful. An extra week meant extra time avoiding that hell hole. But more importantly, an extra week meant more time to spend with Trini. And yet even though they had only known each other for a few weeks, it felt like a lifetime of friendship for both girls.

 

Kim couldn’t deny her growing attraction to Trini. It was impossible not to. Trini was so kind and caring and just so so perfect, even when she was being a snarky little nerd.

 

And beautiful. God was she beautiful.

 

Kim couldn’t help but stare at the other girl when she wasn’t looking. How Trini’s cheeks would puff up when Kim made a bad joke. Or how she would lace her fingers through her long, dark hair when bored. Or how beneath her striped shirt and overalls Kim couldn’t help but notice the faint outline of toned arms. Or Trini’s soft lips, and how much she wanted to––

 

Her thoughts were interrupted as a small blue wisp flew directly at her, before stopping and reforming into a short teenaged girl.

 

 _Did you bring it ?_ Trini asked her one day excitedly.

 

They’ve fallen into a rhythm of sorts. Trini would appear out of hiding as soon as Kim came home from school, eager for more books to read. The ghost had a penchant for reading, as Kim quickly discovered. _Not much else to do when you’re dead and stuck in this house_ , Trini had told her. Within a week Trini had already devoured all seven of Kim’s trashy supernatural romance novels and yearned for more, and better.

 

Kim complied. How could she say no to her new best friend?

 

So every few days right after school Kim would buy books from Mr. Taylor’s store to keep Trini entertained when she was gone. He insisted on her just taking them for free. “You deserve it,” he had said, “for being the first folks to not move out within a week”. But Kim refused, smiling as she handed him a wrinkled twenty dollar bill.

 

“Damn, you’ve already went through _Order of the Phoenix_?!” Kim asked incredulously, eyeing the hardback on her bed tossed to the side.

 

Trini nodded quickly as Kim handed her a copy of _Half Blood Prince_.

 

 _I don’t get how you’re able to read that phony stuff._ Harry Potter _is much groovier..._

 

Kim tried to stifle a giggle. Trini looked up from the book and turned around, confused.

 

_What? Did I do something wrong–_

 

“No. No. It’s just–” Kim burst out laughing. “I’ve never heard someone use ‘groovy’ in a serious tone. Like maybe my dad when he’s trying to be ‘hip with the kids’, or whatever.” Kim said between laughter.

 

The book dropped from where it was floating. Trini floated towards her, staring directly into Kim's eyes.

 

_So you think I’m old, huh? Is that it?_

 

“Wha-what?” Kim said, taken aback.

 

Trini’s serious expression melted away, turning into laughter.

 

 _Sorry, I–_ , she giggled, _I just wanted to see your face. You always make like the most serious expressions. The way your brow wrinkles and your eyes go wide. It’s really cute…_

 

Kim couldn’t help but blush at the complement. Cute? Trini thought she was cute? She shook her head slightly as Trini settled back onto floating above the bed, opening her new book.

 

A thought appeared in Kim’s head, brief and fleeting, before she quickly suppressed it. She didn’t want Trini to see _that_. The ghost was near enough to sense it.

 

Kim turned around and headed towards her closet, pretending to riffle through her clothes and look for something. She let her thoughts run wild now that she was far away enough for Trini not to hear them.

 

Could Trini like her back?

 

But Trini couldn’t possibly like her back. At least in the romantic way, Kim thought. The girl was dead for christ sakes. She didn’t even know what bisexuality meant when Kim brought it up. How could she even like Kim that way? She let her thoughts run wild before a small voice spoke up in her mind.

 

_Kim? Are you okay?_

 

Kim jumped up slightly

 

“Yeah– yes, I’m fine.” Her tone remained unconvincing. Behind her Trini raised a brow, lips pursed, ready to say something before she stopped. She floated off the bed, appearing beside Kim and eyeing her closet curiously.

 

_Whatcha looking for?_

 

“Uhh, just my old cheerleading outfit." she lied, then continued. "Mom want’s me to take it out and put it in storage."

 

_You're a cheerleader?_

 

Kim frowned. "Was one."

 

Trini didn't pry any further.

 

Kim quickly became distracted as she rifled through her clothes. Another aspect of ADHD. Once she started something she couldn't stop sometimes. She tossed several old shirts behind her onto the floor. Pastel clothing from back when she was still Amanda's friend. Frilly stuff she wouldn't be caught dead wearing now. 

 

Both girls remained quiet, until a few minutes later Trini broke the silence.

 

  
_It’s nice seeing you again._ Trini said softly.

 

Kim frowned, putting a pair of jeans down. She turned around, looking up from the closet. Trini floated a foot away from her. “It’s only been three days since I started school, Trin.”

 

 _I know… It’s just, I get lonely when you’re not here with me…_ the ghost looked down solemnly, fingers toying at the hem of her shirt.

 

It was hard for Kim not to melt at those words. She inched closer to the ghost, tying to make her presence comforting. “Hey, I’m still here. I’m not going to leave you.”

 

 _I…_ Trini shook her head, frowning. _It’s just….I– I’ve been alone here in this house for so long. And finally having someone else be with me, it’s just– I’m always afraid you won’t be back; that you’ll just turn around and leave. And I––_

 

She’s rambling again, Kim thought. She gently lifted a finger to the ghost’s lips, ignoring the coldness that radiated from her. “Hey, I’m here,” Kim assured her. “ I’m not about to leave you.”

 

Trini glanced up at Kim’s words, eye’s wide. _You promise?_

 

“I mean, I have to still go to school and all...”

 

_I know–_

 

“But I’m not about to up and run away from the house forever, if that’s what you mean.” she said with a laugh, before realizing the grandness of the statement. Forever. That was such a big promise. She couldn’t stay at the house forever; she still had college to go to, a life to live. God,  the whole world to explore beyond Angel Grove. Her smile waned, wavering into a straight line briefly, before she forced it back on for the other girl.

 

_Really?! You’ll stay here with me?!_

  

“Uhhhh, well by forever I didn’t mean literally––” but Trini failed to notice the other girl’s words or hear her thoughts as she flashed Kim a bright grin that caused Kim’s heart to beat faster. She ignored the thought of hurting Trini with her broken promise, pushing it aside. Worry about that later, you need to comfort Trini now, she thought.

 

Kim found herself smiling too, a wide and toothy grin at Trini’s sudden happiness, before she gently grasped Trini’s hand, lacing her warm fingers with the other girl’s cold grip.

 

Trying hard not to think of how and when her promise will eventually be broken.

 

….

 

The idea came to Kim several days later. It started out small, a brief fleeting thought, before snowballing into a bigger possibility. The more Kim thought about it, the more her desire to know the answer grew. And so on the Saturday the week after school started, Kim asked Trini a question.

 

“Hey Trini.” Kim called out from her bed, eyes glued to her computer. In an instant, a small wisp of smoke appeared in her room, before solidifying into Trini.

 

_Yeah, what is it princesa?_

 

Kim looked up from the screen to see Trini floating above her smirking. No matter what, Trini always seemed to be happy whenever Kim called her down from wherever the ghost went. The ghost settled down on Kim’s bed, sitting cross legged.

 

“ I was wondering…” She closed her laptop and sighed. There was really no easy way tof getting around the subject. She had to ask.

 

 _You were saying?_ Trini, tilted her head, eyeing Kim her curiously.

 

“Have you ever left the house since–?”  Kim trailed off.

 

 _Since I’ve died? No, I haven’t._ Her form shimmered, becoming mistier and cloudier as it always did when she grew upset.

 

Noting Trini’s reaction, Kim shifted her weight on the bed, leaning towards the other girl in apology. “Hey, it’s alright. I won’t press further.”

 

 _No, it’s–_ Trini shook her head, body flickering back into sight. _What was it you were about to say?_

 

“Well,” Kim began, choosing her words carefully, “there’s this stream with a small pool that I’ve been meaning to visit since moving here. The one right at the edge of the property. It’s probably too cold to go swimming anyway, but I’ve been wanting to check it out and…” she swallowed, trying to stop herself from rambling. _Get to the point Kim_ , she thought. Trini raised an eyebrow in amusement.

 

Kim took a deep breath. “Well... I was wondering if you wanted to come with me?”

 

Kim instantly regretted asking the question at soon as she saw the mixture of sadness and resentment on Trini’s face. The ghost tried to hide her scowl, face scrunched up as she stared down at the comforter to avoid Kim’s eyes.

 

 _That’s great Kimmy...,_ Kim frowned at the nickname, _But how exactly can I go out with you if I can’t even leave this place?_

 

Kim let out a dramatic groan and flopped down onto the bed, raising her arms into the air in faux defeat. That was true, Kim thought. But at the same time she was stubborn and besides, she turned around onto her belly, propping her head on folded arms “Well how would you know if you haven’t even tried?”

 

 _I–_ Trini looked up and felt her resolve break the instant she saw the sad puppy dog eyes Kim was now giving her. _Kim seriously ?_

 

As if by magic Kim’s pout intensified, her eyes starting to water.

 

Trini slumped in defeat and sighed. _Fine. You win. I’ll try._

 

Kim did a little fist pump in the air, jumping off the bed and hurrying to put on her shoes. Trini let out a sardonic laugh.  

 

_Alright. But don’t be surprised if I can’t even leave the front door..._

 

…

 

In minutes both girls reached the foyer. Kim eagerly ran down the stairs, with Trini gliding several steps right behind her. Several times she almost tripped over in the rush of her excitement, but quickly caught herself on the handrail. She stepped outside onto the front porch, taking in the afternoon grey sky. Fog was rolling in from the ocean, blanketing the grounds surrounding the house in a thick, white mist. She inhaled, deeply taking in the fresh coastal air.

 

Kim had gotten so caught up in the moment that she didn’t realize her companion was still inside.

 

Realizing that she was the only one outside, she turned around, looking at Trini expectantly.

 

“Aren't you going to at least try and come out?”

 

Trini frowned, floating backwards into the house by several feet, hiding in the shadows. _Uh, you just go on. I’ll stay here and guard the house._

 

“Guard the house from what, Trini?”

 

_Uh, ghosts…?_

 

Kim raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “So you’re gonna guard the house from yourself? Trini c’mon! How will you even know if you’re able to leave if you won’t even try?

 

Trini grumbled but inched closer towards the door.   _Alright._

 

She looked up at the doorframe and closed her eyes in concentration.

 

Trini took a floating step.

 

Then another.

 

And another.

 

Until finally–

 

“Trini–” Kim gasped in amazement

 

The ghost opened her eyes, tilting her head in confusion. _What is it?_

 

“You’re–,” Kim shook her head, beaming  “ just look for yourself.”

 

Eyeing her curiously for a moment, Trini complied, _Okay, but I told you that I wouldn’t be able to…_

 

The words faded away in Kim’s mind as Trini turned around, letting out a gasp of her own.

 

Light filtered through her transparent form, illuminating the late afternoon mist. Kim could see dew drops sparkle amid her ghostly body. Mist swirled around her legs, spilling outwards from her body onto the garden.  

 

 _I’m, I’m outside._ Trini began in amazement, excitement growing. _Oh my god I’m actually outside._

 

Kim nodded, smile widening. “You are.”

 

 _I can’t believe this. I can’t believe it. I’m– I’m actually outside!_ And in an instant, Trini was darting down the lawn in excitement, laughing widely, smokey mist trailing right behind her.

 

Kim took off into a run, following the ghost girl as she laughed, watching as she twirled in mid air, before coming to a complete stop beside an old oak tree.

 

Kim watched as Trini ran her hand down the twisted bark of the oak, eyes widened in amazement. The other girl glanced up, observing how the fall wind blew through the leaves. Trini was silent for several minutes, caught up in the moment of freedom, before she spoke.

 

 _The last time I was here this tree was a sapling. I had just planted it with a–_ , she paused, eyebrows wrinkling in thought, _a friend. I think it was a friend? Anyway, god I can’t believe it’s grown so tall._

 

Kim glanced up, eye’s following Trini’s sight. Branches extended roughly twenty feet up into the air, twisting and turning, blanketing both girls in a shadow of leaves.

 

_So much has happened since I died. It’s funny, you know? The world keeps on going, changing and shifting, and yet here I am. The same person I was almost 50 years ago._

 

Tendrils of mist began to rise from Trini’s form, swirling over and blanketing the ground in a thick white fog.

 

_Everything changed around me and I’ve been trapped here, unable to experience it all._

 

Kim cleared her throat. “ Are– are you sure? We can stay here longer if you’d like?”

 

Trini looked back at Kim, forcing a smile. _I’m… I’m good. Let’s keep walking. We’re nearly almost there._

 

Despite her words Kim didn’t believe her, but decided not to question the other girl’s behavior out of respect.

 

As they walked further away from the oak tree, Kim couldn’t help but notice that Trini’s form was growing fainter, almost completely transparent and invisible. Mist was unraveling around her, trailing behind and causing the light sprinkle of dew on the grass to freeze over despite the sun still hanging high above them over the horizon. Kim saw her breath dance in front of her with each exhale of air.  Trini didn’t seem to notice her change in appearance or temperature, floating on forward as if nothing was happening.

 

Several minutes later they had reached the edges of the property grounds. An iron lattice fence separated the rest of Angel Grove from the mansion. Ivy vines twisted between spokes, blanketing the metal in green.

 

Noticing Kim’s line of sight, Trini piped up. _Oh! Guess they never fixed the hole in the fence. We used to sneak out of the property after night and go out dancing when Mrs. Hillard was asleep._

 

“You dance?”

 

_You saw me in the ballroom, Princesa. Just cause I’m dead doesn’t mean I can’t get my groove on._

 

Kim tried to stifle her laughter. “Your groove on? Seriously?”

 

_Hey! I don’t make fun of you for your weird 21st century slang._

 

Kim rolled her eyes playfully. “Sure, whatever you say ghost girl”

 

The creek snaked through a grove of pine trees, leading to a large pool of water surrounded by river rocks. Water rushed downward, carrying dead leaves and twigs, before flowing outward beneath the fence and outside the mansion grounds.

 

A willow tree stood on a medium sized hill next to the pool of water, casting a shadow over it. The sky was shifting into a faint pinkish purple haze, grey clouds hanging low overhead. Kim pulled her hoodie closer to her body as a cold breeze blew right past.

 

She settled down at the base of the willow tree, tucking in her knees and wrapping her hands around them. It was far too cold to wade in the pool. She could do that when the weather became hotter. For now, she was content in just taking in the scenery. Kim patted the ground besides her, and Trini floated over, carefully seating herself down next to Kim’s right.

 

At the bottom of the hill the creek continued to flow. Kim listened to the sound of trickling water as she gazed at the distant horizon.  The entirety of Angel Grove could be seen from up where they were sat. A patchwork of lights slowly flickered on along the horizon, crisscrossing in glittering lines as the small coastal town of Angel Grove settled in for the night.

 

For a brief moment, Kim felt herself tower above the place that had causes her so much misery.

 

She glanced over at Trini. The ghost’s form was nearly invisible. Must be a distance thing, Kim thought. The closer she is to the house, the more visible she’ll be.

 

 _You’re probably right_ , Trini said quietly, reading Kim’s mind.

 

Kim said nothing further.

 

As she settled down relaxing beside Trini, watching cars travel home and lights flicker on in the distance, she couldn’t shake the growing feeling inside her gut of deja vu. Everything about this place felt so familiar and distant at the same time. Like she had been here before, in another life long ago.

 

She shook her head. That couldn’t be it, she thought.

 

Trini didn’t reply.

 

The wind picked up. Somewhere in the distance thunder cracked.

 

Yet both girls remained silent and rooted to their spot, watching as the sky turned murky grey and clouds thundered above.

 

 _I’m so happy I met you._ It comes out so softly, so faintly, that it takes Kim a minute to realize the other girl just spoke to her.  She turned around, and the shy expression on Trini was so adorable, that Kim couldn’t help but melt at the sight.

 

“Me too.” she whispered, leaning in towards her.

 

Yet any closer and Kim would be passing through Trini’s ghostly form. She sighed out loud in disappointment. It just wasn’t fair. She wanted to hold Trini, to hug the girl who had been alone for years.

 

 _I don’t think you understand how lonely it’s been Kim._ And Kim blinked, before remembering that Trini could read her thoughts when nearby. _I’ve been alone in that house,_ she gestured towards the distant mansion _, for so, so long. Not years Kim– decades. I’ve been dead for almost 50 years now._ Trini’s form grew fainter for a moment, becoming almost invisible. She flickered back into sight, mist pooling and wrapping around her body.

 

 _I don’t even remember how I died . I don’t even know why I’m still stuck here. I should have passed on when I died. Now I’m just stuck inside a mansion haunting it for all eternity. I don’t even know why I’m dead! I just–_ She let out a frustrated cry, causing the wind to howl and leaves to blow in tight circles around them.

 

Kim could feel the temperature drop dramatically. Kim felt her hands grow colder. She tucked them inside her jacket pockets, trying to stay warm. She shivered, tugging her hoodie tighter against her body. She glanced to her right and saw Trini curled up in on herself, hugging her knees tight to her chest. Her form shimmered, mist and fog swirling and spreading across the grass. Dew froze, leaving the grass beneath them covered in ice.

 

She gently placed a hand on Trini’s shoulder, hand grazing through the girl, before flinching back at the arctic cold that stung her fingers. The cold was biting deeper and deeper into her flesh. She winced at the pain, but ignored it, inching closer to Trini in an attempt to comfort her.

 

 _With each passing year I felt my hope disappear. I thought, maybe, someone will come find me. Wonder why I’ve disappeared._ Her tone darkened, becoming angrier. _But no one came to look for me. No one._

 

_I can remember waking up, if it was even waking up, and finding myself without a body in an empty dark house. Do you know what it’s like, waking up and just… existing? I was so scared, Kim, I was so terrified And all I could do was scream and scream and scream until the darkness took me._

 

 _The next time I became aware of myself, another family moved in. For a moment I thought, “Maybe it’s them. Maybe it's my friends. Maybe they’ve_ finally _come to find me”._

Trini continued, her voice lowering, sounding hurt. _Every few years a new family moved in. And every time I try to contact them– try to tell them I’m here, that_ I exist _–I scare them away. It took me a while to build up this form,_ Trini unfolded an arm and lazily gestured to herself.

 

 _For the longest time I was just intangible energy. For years I just smoke and light. Eventually, after coming to terms with being dead, I slowly gained an image of how I looked. First a face. Then my torso. And finally my entire body. But that would only scare people off when they saw me._ She said ruefully. _So I settled for just being smoke and mist. No one’s scared of that._

 

_Years passed. Fewer people would move in. The gaps between tenants would grow larger and larger. Years would go by before I would see someone, anyone, until–_

 

“Until I came.”

 

 _Yeah._ And then, Trini confused and shocked Kim more by saying, _You’re the first person I’ve talked to since I’ve died, you know._

 

‘Wait, what?!”

 

Trini’s expression softened. _Yeah. It’s strange... But you’re different. You didn’t scream when I showed myself to you. There’s something about you that feels so familiar to me, so welcoming…_

 

“Well I’m not like other girls.” Kim said joking, trying to lighten the mood. Most girls didn’t encounter friendly ghosts. She giggled to herself at the idea of Trini the Friendly Broody Ghost.

 

_Seriously Kim?_

 

“Oh so you actually get that reference?”

 

Trini rolled her eyes in amusement, _Unfortunately._ And Trini was now smiling, giving her a rare toothy grin, causing Kim’s heart to thump faster.

 

As the sun began to set, lights flickered on in the distance.

 

“It’s beautiful up here. I’m glad you showed me this,” Kim said gently, gesturing at the sunset.

 

_I used to come here all the time, back when I was alive. I’d spend so many hours just watching the sunset. It’s strange, even after so many years Angel Grove still has the same sleepy charm._

 

Speaking of sleep… Kim felt her body grow tired, eyelids drooping. She had no energy to head back home, despite the thundering clouds and darkening sky overhead. She leaned closer to Trini.“Stay with me here.” she whispered.

 

Trini frowned. _Kim you shouldn’t be out here this late. We should head back._

 

“I’ll be fine Trini. No one knows we’re here.” Kim mumbled, feeling her back slouch against the willow trunk.

 

 _Kim–_ Trini protested.

  

“No. Don’t leave me just yet. Stay with me while I sleep. In here. ” Kim pleaded, gesturing to her head.

 

Trini rolled her eyes at Kim’s insistence, but smiled. _Alright._

 

Kim closed her eyes, tilting her head backward and allowed sleep to take her.

 

When she opens them again several minutes later, she’s still underneath the willow tree beside the pool. But it all feels different, the world slightly brighter and newer than it is in real life. She felt a figure nudge itself closer to her, and she looks to her right to see Trini leaning against her shoulder. And even though it was a dream, that it is all in her head, it felt real. Trini’s presence, her form, feels solid.

 

 _Isn’t it pretty early to sleep?_ Trini asked, lips upturned in a smirk.

 

Kim chuckled softly,” Not if it means I’m able to feel you.” she said, and nuzzled closer to Trini.

 

 _Oh._ Trini said.

 

For a brief moment Kim was afraid the ghost would disappear at her touch.  But instead, the other girl let out a soft sigh, scooting closer to Kim. Somehow, Trini felt warmer, lacking the coldness that usually accompanied her outside of Kim’s dreams. The warmth and solidness of the other girl made Kim forgot that Trini wasn’t alive.

 

Silence lingered between them. But it was a still, gentle silence, one where no words were needed. In this quiet moment, away from the real world, away from everything.

 

The sky of the dream world turned a faint purplish orange as the sun began to set. Soon, the moon was framed overhead, stars glistening so brightly amid the soft blackness of night. A small hand grazed her own, and soon Trini was lacing her fingers with Kim’s.

 

They scooted closer together, shoulders touching, as a shooting star trailed across the night sky.

 

Kim felt Trini lean further into her, tucking her head into Kim’s neck. Trini felt oddly warm against Kim’s skin, unlike her usual cold self. She felt Trini adjust herself, snuggling closer to Kim.

 

 _I’m glad I found you._ The words were whispered so softly, so gently, that for a second, Kim sworn she imagined them. She glanced upwards to see Trini smiling down at her.

 

“Me too.” Kim said returning the smile, and she meant it with all her heart.

 

Kim took a deep breath and pulled Trini closer to her. She brought her other hand up to Trini’s face, trailing her fingers gently down her cheek. Trini shivered at the touch, cupping Kim’s hand fully and pressing it closer to her skin. A gentle moan left her lips. _That feels so… nice._

 

“I never thought a ghost could be so soft… and warm” Kim mummered. At her words Trini leaned further into Kim’s touch. Kim brought her other hand up to cradle her face completely.

 

“You’re wonderful. Did you know that?”

 

Trini’s eyes twinkled with happiness. _If you say so princessa._

 

“You are.”

 

They moved closer together, until Kim was practically on top of Trini, pushing the girl gently against the trunk of the oak. Trini slid an arm around Kim’s waist, pulling the other girl closer towards her. Kim hesitantly returned the hug, wrapping both of her hands around Trini’s waist and lifting the ghost closer to her. She gently ran her hands down the small of Trini’s back.

 

Both girls remained silent, basking in each other’s presence. Kim gazed down at Trini, taking in the other girl’s beauty. Her eye’s flickered down to Trini’ lips before looking back up into Trini’s deep brown eyes.

 

She leaned down to kiss Trini, brushing her lips against the ghost’s soft fuller ones.

 

Kim stared at Trini.

 

Trini stared back.

 

They remained in that position, gazing into each other’s eye’s. Kim took in Trini’s soft cheeks and lips, framed against the hard lines of her jaw. The small figure of the other girl, and the muscle that lies underneath her baggy overalls and striped shirt.

 

Both girls stood still, locked in each other’s embrace.

 

Until suddenly there was no space left between them.

 

Their lips met. Kim heard Trini gasp underneath her, before softly moaning into the taller girl’s lips

 

Kim adjusted her position, bringing Trini closer to her and leaving a trail of searing kisses alongside her jaw. Trini whimpered, and Kim found her lips once more with Trini’s. Her lips were so soft, so sweet. Kim felt Trini’s bury themselves in her short locks,

 

Trini rolled them over to their sides. She looked back at Kim, eyes darkening in lust, before leaning forward and returning the kiss in full. Their limbs tangled, bringing their torsos and hips flush together,

 

Their kisses grow deeper. In lust, Kim leaned forward sucking the bottom of Trini’s lip between her own. Trini’s hand glided across her back, pulling her forward. Her hips began to grind slowly against Trini’s. A gentle rhythm of back and forth that caused the other girl’s spine to arch in response as she buried her face in Kim’s neck, moaning.

 

Kim wasn’t sure how long the continued. Time seemed to stop for her. All she could think of was Trini, Trini, Trini. The way the other girl’s eyes darkened in lust despite being transparent. How her ghostly form radiated warmth despite being utterly cold. None of it made sense and at the same time it did.

 

Slowly, they broke apart, panting at the heat that grew between them.

 

And as Kim moved closer to deepen the kiss once more, eyes closed, the other girl was pushing her away.

 

Kim’s eyes shot open as she felt hands shove into her chest. She gasped in astonishment and saw that Trini had drifted several feet away from her, mumbling to herself.

 

_We shouldn’t have done that. Oh god, we shouldn’t have done that._

 

“Trini what do you mean–” she began, a lump rising in her throat. She got off the ground and slowly approached the ghost in wretched confusion.

 

There was silence, until Trini spoke, choking out words.   _It isn’t right. That wasn’t right. I shouldn’t have let you kiss me. I shouldn’t have––_

 

Kim opened her mouth and tried to say something, anything. But she closed it, feeling overwhelmed by all the frustration, anger, and sadness coursing through her. Tears sprung at the corners of her eyes. She tried to hide her broken expression, but Trini noticed. At Trini’s sight, the words tumbled out in a flurry of emotion.

 

“You can’t just push me away. Not after spending so much time getting to know each other. Not after _that_.” she spat out.

 

 _Kim–_ Trini began brokenly.

 

“No. Please Trini, listen to me,” And Kim instinctively leans forward, drawn to the other girl.

 

“Everytime I try to get closer to you it feels like you’re pushing yourself away from me.” The words tumble out, and Kim cannot help but let all her emotion flood out with them.

 

“Please tell me I’m not imagining things. Please tell me that this dream isn’t real, that you don’t feel anything, something between us. I can’t be the only one to think so.” she spoke with fading hope.

 

 _I feel... I feel like... I– I don't know what I feel about this._ Trini gestured to the space between them, eyes glassy.

 

“They why does it feel like you are you pushing me away?”

 

Trini looked up, her expression hardening, but underneath Kim can see the cracks in her resolve.

 

“Trini–”

 

 _I’m dead Kim,_ she said in monotone.

 

“I know that.” Kim said.

 

_Do you really?_

 

“Of course I do, why wouldn’t I–”

 

 _The dead aren’t supposed to be with the living._ Trini replied with finality.

 

Kim shook her head in disbelief. “Who said that?”

 

 _Who said?_ It was Trini’s turn to look at Kim in disbelief. _It’s just the way things are! It’s not right. It’s not right for me to be with you.It’s not right for two girls to be together_

 

Trini remained quiet.

 

“Is that it?” Kim whispered.

 

 _Kim–_ Trini began, voice cracking.

 

“Trini. Look, I don’t care that you’re a ghost. I don’t care that you’re a girl. All I care about is you.”

 

Kim shook her head, eye’s beginning to water “God Trini, the world is much different now. You just don’t know it. No one cares if you’re into girls, or guys, or both.” she spoke with earnest, trying her best to reassure the ghost. “Things have changed. There’s no reason to be afraid of who you are anymore.”

 

Trini’s form flickered and turned into pure mist, wavering unsteadily, before reforming. She turned to look away, arms crossed. _That still doesn’t change the fact that it isn’t right._ Trini snapped,  and Kim felt her heart break.

 

“How the hell can you say that?!”

 

Trin turned to face her. She began to unravel upon herself. Frigid cold mist swirled around her, coiling and uncoiling in anguish. _We can’t be together Kim!_

 

“Why can’t we?!”

 

 _We just can’t._ Trini’s choked out, fist’s balled. _I can’t–– Oh god, I can’t. I can’t. What would Mrs. Hillard think? Oh god Katherine we can’t do this…!_ The ghost began to panic.

 

“Katherine? Who’s Katherine?” Kim stepped forward in confusion, trying to calm the girl, but felt her body hit an invisible wall.

 

 _What will she think? I can’t risk losing you, Katherine. She’ll never let me see you again. We can’t. We can’t––_ Trini’s form dematerialized and materialized in quick succession, unraveling and spilling tendrils of smoke and mist all over the ground.

 

“Mrs. Hillard? Trini, Mrs. Hillard isn’t here.” Panic rose inside Kim as Trini continued to flicker in and out of sight, her ghostly body collapsing upon itself. Amid the mist and smoke of Trini’s form, Kim could make out the ghost clutching her hands to her forehead, kneeling over and curling in on herself.

 

“It’s just you and me. What are talking about? Trini?!" Kim rushed forward, feeling the invisible barrier break. ”Trini, it’s me!”  She ignored the pain as biting cold crept upwards into her arms, piercing her bones. She took the ghost’s hands in her own, attempting to stabilize the other girl.

 

It was no use. The cold became unbearable, and as Kim let go she felt herself be shoved away.

 

The edges of the dream world began to unravel before them.  The sky turns a murky black as the stars go out one by one.The ground shook beneath them, rumbling and grinding, causing each girl to stumble and lose her foothold. Kim feels a crack begin to form between the two of them, growing in size and tearing the ground apart, before appearing beneath her and swallowing her entirely. As she fell into darkness, she thought she could hear Trini calling out for her from above, shouting her name.

 

....

 

 

Several days passed without Kim seeing Trini. She had woken up from the dream disoriented and alone, before trudging back to the Victorian in exhaustion.

 

She had woken up from the dream covered in sweat, her hands blistered from the cold.

 

The ghost was nowhere to be found. Her hoodie did little to shield her from the downpour of rain that followed.

 

By now Kim had gotten so used to the other girl’s constant presence that the sudden absence of it threw her off balance.

 

For the past week she spent most of her days without Trini at the library, trying her best to concentrate on schoolwork and ignore the empty feeling growing inside her chest. The less she spent at the house, the less she thought about the ghost who inhabited it alongside her.

 

Kim failed to notice the green leather jacket be tossed onto her work desk and a lean, tall figure with a butch haircut sliding into the chair in front of her.

 

A minute later she felt a pencil prod her forehead. She frowned in annoyance but still kept her eyes glued to her textbook. The pencil continued to prod. She looked up, ready to cuss the stranger out, before her words died in her throat.

 

“Hey Tommy,” the greeting came out flatter than Kim intended.

 

“Who pissed in your cereal this morning?” Tommy leaned back in her chair, propping her feet on the table next to Kim’s computer. Her voice raspy and smooth with an underlying tone of cockiness.

 

Kim looked back down at her work, flipping to the next page. “No one.”

 

‘Because you look like shit.”

 

‘Thanks. I’m glad you noticed,” Kim replied in monotone.

 

Tommy rolled their eyes. “Okay. What happened?”

 

“Nothing happened, Tommy.”

 

The other girl slammed their hands against the table. Kim jumped slightly in her seat. “Bull fucking shit. You know you’re a shitty liar. You’re too expressive. even when you're trying to hide something your face is telling another story. You’re forehead always does that little wrinkle thingy when you're lying Hart...”

 

Kim closed the textbook with a slam. She stared at it for a moment, before laying her head down on the cover, tucking her arms around her, burying her face. She groaned.

 

“I had an argument with my best friend.” came her muffled voice.

 

“Amanda? I thought you and her were––”

 

Kim lifted her head. “No. Not Amanda. You don’t know her, she’s…” _a ghost_ Kim was about to say before realizing how ridiculous it sounded _._ “My new best friend.”

 

“ So...” Tommy began, dragging the “o”.  “What happened? ”

 

Kim didn’t respond.

 

“So you _did_ fight.”

 

“That’s none of your business...” Kim replied brusquely, quickly getting up out of her seat and rushing to pack her stuff. God, the last thing she needed was to be interrogated by her sorta ex girlfriend.

 

She grabbed her bag, turning to look back at Tommy

 

“Shouldn’t you be at practice anyway?” she asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

 

Tommy swung her jacket over her shoulder and shrugged. “ I dipped. Coach will prob cuss me out again, but I wanted to check up on you. Couldn’t help but notice how shitty you looked at detention the other day.

 

Detention. Oh right. She forgot that Tommy had Saturday detention with her. Her mind was so hyper focused on the event’s before that she had shut out any other distractions.

 

Kim felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. She looked up, and saw Tommy’s concerned face. “Hey. Let me drop you off home. Least I can do for you.”

 

“I–,” she paused, trying to come up with an excuse. Any excuse. But nothing came.. ‘Alright. Fine. Just… Take your time driving, okay.”

 

…

 

It had taken 30 minutes to get from the high school to the Victorian, Kim having insisted to Tommy that she take the slowest route possible through the backwoods of Angel Grove and alongside the quarry. The entire drive Kim remained was silent as they drove in Tommy’s beat up army green pick up. Tommy filled in the gaps of silence, talking on and on about her soccer team’s latest match as the other girl rested her head on the passenger window.

 

The fog was rolling in from the coast, blanketing Angel Grove. Streetlights slowly flickered on. 

 

"So the other day Coach was getting on my ass again cause..."

 

The words trailed off as they rolled into the mansion’s driveway.

 

“Holy shit! You live here?” Tommy gasped in amazement, rolling down her window to peek out her head.

 

Tommy parked her dingy green pickup at the foot of the mansion.

 

Kim shrugged, opening the car door once Tommy parked and swinging her bag over her shoulder. “Yeah. S’alright though.”

 

“It’s alright? Kim you live in a freaking haunted mansion!”

 

“Where’d you get that idea?” she asked, trudging up the cobblestone walkway.

 

Tommy paused, craning their neck in confusion.“You’ve never heard all the stories about this place?”

 

Kim continued to walk. “What stories?” she said. Tommy ran after her.

 

They reached the front porch. Kim fumbled in her bag briefly before finding her house keys.

 

Tommy shook her head, propping her hands on her hips, staring up at the mansion. “Dude, I don’t understand how you've managed to live in Angel Grove all your life and not know about this place. Shit’s been haunted for years.”

 

“Well, I haven’t seen any ghost’s so far.” Kim lied as she opened the front door.

 

The house was quiet as both girls entered. It remained in it’s same half repaired, half broken state as it had when Kim moved in.

 

‘Hey, if you need a listening ear, I’ll be around.” Tommy leaned down, kissing Kim’s forehead. Kim was about to protest but the taller girl quickly picked her up into a tight hug, before patting her back and heading down the porch.

 

Kim leaned against the doorway as she watched Tommy’s beat up pickup exit their driveway. Tommy gave a wave and Kim returned it, smiling. Once the truck left she turned around ready to head up the stairwell to her room and take a nap.

 

Instead, she came face to face with the resident ghost. She gave a loud yelp, jumping backwards in surprise. Trini ignored her, neck craning to peak over Kim’s shoulder.

 

 _Who was that?_ Trini asked as she regarded Tommy’s distant figure with a critical expression.

 

For a brief moment Kim stood still, eyes wide as she took in the sight of her best friend. She wanted to hug Trini, to immediately apologize for how she acted before by the willow tree.

 

And yet...

 

Why should she? Trini up and left her, leaving her alone in the cold rain. Why should she apologize? Anger flared up inside her. Trini left her alone for one week with no explanation, no indication that she was still around. And now the girl had the nerve to reappear once Kim brought someone else over?

 

"A friend.” she replied curtly, walking past the ghost and up the stairs.

 

 _A friend?_ Trini repeated, scoffing in disbelief. Kim's anger rose.

 

“It might come to your surprise,” Kim began, voice raising. She stopped in her tracks. “but I have other friends beside you.” she didn’t mean for the words to come out so clipped, but allowed herself the pleasure. And okay, it was sort of a half truth, but she ignored the thought in favor of winning this argument that _apparently_ they were now having.

 

She turned around when a voice spoke to her in her mind.

 

 _She kissed you,_ Trini said. 

 

Kim stopped midstep, fist clenching tightly against the hand rail. She paused, letting her breathing calm, before turning around to face the ghost.

 

“Since when did you care who kissed me?” Kim retorted, shouting.

 

Trini remained at the foot of the staircase, eye’s narrowly fixed on Kim. A crack appeared in Trini’s resolve. For a brief moment, what may have looked like guilt to Kim passed over her face, before being quickly suppressed. Trini pursed her lips.

 

 _I was just curious,_ the ghost said flatly.

 

“ I was just curious?” Kim echoed. It comes out sharper than intended, biting and jagged. Momentarily Kim felt her anger dissolve at the sight of Trini's taken aback expression. But her anger remains, and for once Kim doesn’t regret her impulsive outburst.

 

“Excuse me? You can’t just reject someone for being a girl and then ask them why they’re bringing someone else over.” Kim scoffed back.

 

The ghost didn't reply. Trini looked down at the hardwood floor, form growing mistier, avoiding Kim's sight. 

 

"Is there anything else you wanted to say...?" There's a desperate edge to her voice. And Kim is begging for Trini to say something more, anything else.

 

But nothing comes.

 

Minutes pass. Trini remains fixed to her spot at the edge of the staircase.

 

Kim quickly turns around with a huff, swinging her bag over her shoulder. Trudging up the staircase, making sure each step was louder than the first.

 

A few seconds later a door slams shut upstairs.

 

And Trini was left floating aimlessly in the hallway alone with only her thoughts for company.

 

…

 

For the first time since her family moved into the Victorian, Kimberly Hart’s life seemed normal.

 

Okay, normal was a bit of a stretch. Most high school students didn’t just suddenly move into the semi-abandoned mansion at the edge of town.

 

Most people did not befriend the ghost that haunted their house.

 

Most people, did not fall head over heels in love with a ghost.

 

She went to school as her parent's intended, did her homework, help repair the house alongside her mother, and organize her father's patient transcripts in his new study. 

 

Just as she had done weeks before moving in.

 

And for once, Kimberly Hart felt normal. 

 

At least until the following night after school.

 

_Hi._

 

Kim looked up from her laptop to see Trini tentatively peeking out from behind her door. The hallway leading to her bedroom was pitch black, the only light coming from Trini’s faintly glowing form.

 

Trini gave a shy glance up at her face. Her ghostly body was unusually transparent. It was hard for Kim to make out her face amid the darkness of the hall. Kim squinted from her place on her bed. Was Trini smiling back at her?

 

 _I– I want to apologize for how I acted earlier,_ she began nervously _._ Kim felt her heart almost break at how pitiful the ghost sounded. She felt her mouth quiver, wanting to say more. To comfort the other girl. But she pushed the urge aside, trying her best to set her mouth in a straight line as she remembered how the other girl had rejected her. Leaving Kim entirely alone with no explanation for a whole week.

 

“It’s a bit too late for that now.”

 

Trini floated closer to her, glaring. _I said I was sorry Kim._

 

Anger rose inside her. “Yeah, well that doesn’t excuse you.”

 

_Excuse me from what?_

 

Kim threw her hands up in disbelief. ‘Excuse you from– Are you serious Trini? Don’t act like you’re unaware of what you’ve done."

 

 _You don’t have to be so mean_ , Trini’s voice cracked, her stoic exterior breaking.  

 

Kim internally winced at how harsh she sounded sounded, but ignored it, anger rising. “Yeah, well, so is the fact that my supposed best friend ignored me for a whole fucking week and only now decides to show herself when I bring another girl home.” Trini cradled her arms around her, ghostly tears starting to appear. Kim felt her throat constricting at the sight of Trini’s hurt expression, but shoved the pain in her chest aside.

 

“I think you should leave.” Kim said flatly.

 

Trini shuddered, hugging her arms tighter to herself. _I–_ , she whimpered. Trini squeezed her eyes shut, but it didn’t stop more tears from spilling out at the corner of her eyes. _Kim, please I––_ a sob broke through her words. Trini opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say more, but no words were spoken.

 

Seeing as Trini wasn’t about to leave, Kim strode to her bed, grabbing a pillow and blanket, before stepping in front of the doorway.

 

Trini remained rooted to the spot, clutching her chest. Her ghostly body becoming fainter and fainter with each sob.

 

Kim took a deep breath as she stepped through the doorway. She tried to remain stoic, to make it appear as if Trini’s pain wasn’t deeply affecting her.

 

As Kim trudged forward and passed through Trini’s ghost form, she was immediately hit by a wave of deep emotion unlike any other. She floundered mid-step before catching herself, and continued to head down the hall in silence. Behind her, Trini slowly dematerialized, losing her human shape, becoming pure energy and mist. Kim stopped, turning back to look. Blue mist hung in the air, staring back at her, watching, before disappearing all together into the darkness.

 

Tears formed at the edges of her eyes. Kim bit her lip and clutched the thin blanket closer to her chest, shivering.

 

Minutes later Kim found herself downstairs, sitting on the edge of the living room couch and cradling her head in her hands. Her thoughts immediately flashed back to the devastated look Trini had gave her. She had hurt Trini, that was clear enough. But Trini had hurt her first by ignoring Kim’s feelings and Kim completely.

 

Kim clenched her fists, letting her nails dig into the palms of her hands. She bit her lip in frustration as she thought back to Trini’s behavior. None of it made sense. How could Trini just vanish from her and only reappear when she brought Tommy over? Unless…

 

Kim felt her stomach drop. Could Trini be jealous of Tommy? That couldn’t be possible though. Trini rejected Kim’s advances by the stream. She made it clear to Kim that she wasn’t interested in her, much less interested in girls.

 

“Doesn’t matter now.” she mumbled to herself. She propped her pillow against the arm rest, stretching her body over the couch, before pulling the blanket up and over her. The house was quiet and still in the darkness. Kim tried to relax and will herself asleep.

 

She stared upwards, mind still abuzz from her encounter with Trini. Her eye's darted across the dark ceiling, waiting for the mass of pitch black above her to swallow her whole.

 

But sleep did not come.

 

Upstairs the floor cracked with a squeak, then stopped. It sounded like footsteps, a few quick bursts of walking from place to place with long pauses in between. The creaking continued. Sounds she assumed were from her parents echoed above the living room. A minute later it stopped

 

For a brief moment all was still and quiet.

 

Until...

 

The thin blanket did nothing to stop the bitter cold that suddenly radiated from the stairwell behind the couch. Kim shivered, clutching the fabric closer to her.  The steps creaked as someone descending the stairwell.

 

The temperature dropped. 

 

Her eyes widened. Kim did not move even to breathe. She wasn’t alone.

 

A floor board popped somewhere in the living room.

      

The cold intensified.

 

Kim clutched the blanket closer to her. The thin fabric did nothing to prevent her from shivering as a wave of cold crept deep into her skin.

 

More floor boards popped in quick succession. Approaching her.

 

Kim closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

 

Her fingers dug into the cushion as she waited with bated breath for the ghost to leave. Kim's heartbeat hammered in her ears. She felt the hairs on her arms stand up from the sudden cold.

 

A figure moved somewhere behind the coach.

  

 _Just go away. Please... Just leave me alone,_ Kim thought.

 

Another floorboard creaked. Then another. And another. Growing closer and approaching her until–

 

She froze in place as she felt a heavy blanket carefully cover her body. Gentle hands tucked her in, taking careful measure as to not touch her skin. For a brief moment Kim felt what may have been a hand brush through her hair before pulling away.

 

Floor boards popped in quick succession. Kim remained frozen, fingers still clutching the couch. Then she realized the sounds were going away. The creaks and pops continued up the staircase to the second floor, then across the second floor to another spot up into the attic where they became more distant. 

 

The bitter chill passed, and a warm night breeze slowly filtered in through the living room windows.

 

Nothing stirred. The only sound was that of crickets chirping outside.

 

Kim took a ragged breath, trying to steady herself.

 

The dam broke.

 

A sob ripped through her. She felt her heart break at the ghost’s kindness, even in the face of Kim’s rude dismissal. God how could she have been so mean? Christ, Trini had apologized to her. She meant it clearly. But all Kim did was crumple up the apology and throw it back at the other girl’s face.

 

No wonder Amanda left her. No wonder she had no other friends. Who would want to be around someone like her?

 

Her sobs slowly subsided, and Kim found herself turning onto her back, eye’s staring upwards at the ceiling.

 

Without thinking, she whispered into the night, “Goodnight Trini.”

 

And Kim isn’t sure what Trini means when she responds a minute later with a faint, sad _Goodnight Kim._

... 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey again! Glad to be back to my usual updating schedule. Sorry about the wait! Finals was incredibly busy this year. Topped with packing and moving out of my on campus apartment into a new one I didn't have much time to write until the semester ended.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! it's longer than the previous two and I expect that will be the case as we expand upon the story. It was fun to write all the angst and explore Trimberly's relationship. Don't worry, they'll get back together soon haha Angst is usually always followed by happiness lol
> 
> Yep, Tommy is gonna be making a few appearances from then on. Don't worry, she won't be getting in the way of Trimberly. Mainly cause I wanted to explore Trini's feeling around Kim, as well as her being jealous in fic for once.
> 
> Also, there's a reference to a previous Pink Ranger from the original MMPR series, though I imagine it was easy to catch lol
> 
> More ghostly stuff in the next chapter, as well as a visit to Mr. Taylor, a flashback to the past, and more cheesy 70's lingo! 
> 
> See ya next week!


	4. Chapter 4

…

 

In the far corner of the living room Trini silently watches her, listening to Kim’s hazy thoughts as the other girl sob’s subside, falling deep into slumber. Trini tried her best not to pry into Kim’s mind, usually keeping her distance in order to grant the other girl some privacy.

 

But the urge to check on her, to see in Kim was alright overwhelmed her. And so Trini listened.

 

Her thoughts are muddled and nonlinear, a sequential flash of images mixed with various emotions. Hurt. Anger. Disappointment. Trini tried her best not to think of how she was the cause of her her best friend’s pain.

 

Friend.

 

Could Kim even consider her a friend anymore?

 

The ghost tried not to dwell on it. She had not had a friend in so, so long. The thought of losing Kim scared her.

 

What if Kim never wanted to be around her?

 

Trini felt her form dissolve as panic overtook her, spreading across the room in a haze of smoke.

 

What if she decided one day to leave? What if Kim wanted nothing to do with her? She rejected Trini’s apology, if she wanted she could easily reject their friendship.

 

Were they even friends still? Trini thought. Last she checked, friends aren’t supposed to have feelings for each other. Friends didn’t cook their other friend breakfast and dinner almost every day. Friends didn’t spend every moment of their existence waiting for their other friend to come home from school.

 

Friends don’t spend every waking moment together, growing closer.

 

And they certainly, most definitely, didn’t kiss each other.

 

Trini cringed. The memory of their intimate moment by the willow tree continued to hang over the ghost, despite her efforts to ignore it.

 

But how could she ignore the memory of Kim’s soft lips against hers. How Trini had eagerly returned it fully.

 

But then she pushed her away, out of fear.  

 

Since the kiss she had made a promise to herself that she would eventually talk to Kim, to apologize for how she acted by the willow tree.

 

But then that _other girl_ had to appear Anger rose up inside the ghost at the recent memory, causing her form to disperse. The idea of someone besides her, besides Trini, kissing Kim sent tingles of anger throughout her form.  Where Trini stood floating, a thin layer of ice snaked its way across the wooden floor, causing several floorboards to crack. The nearby bay window frosted over, becoming nearly opaque. Furniture began to vibrate as her anger grew.

 

How dare that girl kiss Kim.

 

A bookshelf rattled behind her. The chandelier above swung foreword.

 

How dare that girl ruin her chances of apologizing and making things right between them.

 

The shaking intensified, sending a hardback sliding off it’s shelf.

 

_How fucking dare she?!_

 

All around her, books went flying off the shelf, thudding against the floor. The chandelier swung violently from side to side, several light bulbs bursting in quick succession, sending glass and filament flying downwards all over the living room.

 

That had never happened before. She’s never lost control of her abilities before––

 

Her panicked thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a figure moving. Kim stirred on the couch, adjusting positions. Trini watched nervously, form tingling in anticipation, for Kim to wake up.

  
The ghost froze in place as Kim blearily opened her eyes, blinking in the darkness before closing them. She tossed and turning once more, eventually settling down, tucking her head into the back cushion of the couch and letting out a soft snore.

 

Trini let out a sigh, ghostly body relaxing. Thank god Kim was a deep sleeper.

 

Trini felt her form deflate as she quietly swept up the glass with a broom from the kitchen, anger subsiding. A wave of guilt cascaded over her. If anything, she was just as guilty to blame, if not even more.

 

She remembered that Kim had kissed her. How could she forget that?

 

Nor could Trini forget how she had kissed Kim back. Reciprocating in full with eagerness and passion, letting herself drown in the feeling of joy that was kissing another girl. For a brief moment, Trini had felt alive.

 

The frost slowly melted away from the floor. The bay window became clear. And the furniture stilled, as if it had never moved in the first place.

 

As Trini floated in the far corner of the living room, she found herself, not for the first time since their kiss, missing the other girls presence. The way Kim’s nose wrinkled in laughter when Trini made a snarky joke. Or how the other girl was so patient in teaching her about the 21st century. How they would spend their Friday afternoons watching Netflix, Kim taking her time to explain technology or references whenever Trini asked.

 

She missed the other girl’s warmth. The pressure of her arms around Trini when they danced in Kim’s dreams. The way Kim’s finger’s would somehow lace themselves with Trini’s ghostly one’s, ignoring the cold completely.

 

Unknowingly to the ghost, the mass of smoke and mist began to coalesce around her, slowly forming her head, then body and arms. Trini stood in the corner hugging herself, trying not to think of the damage she had done to their friendship, of how Kim may never want anything to do with her ever again.

 

God why did she have to ruin everything?

 

_..._

 

In the days that followed Trini remained hidden, letting her body dissolve into the shadowed walls and hidden crevices of the mansion. Ever since the Hart’s had moved in she found herself taking upon a form that closely resembled her past self, or at least how she remembered it. For the most part, ever since Kim found her, she had spent her most of the time in a humanoid form, closely resembling her previous self.   

 

She had forgotten what it was like to exist in a state of pure energy invisible to human sight. Memory was tricky for Trini. Beyond a few stray strands on information, details such as her name, birthday, and interests, the ghost remembered little of her former existence.

 

Almost fifty years had passed since she died. And to this day Trini was unsure as to how and why she died.  All Trini could remember was that one moment she was rushing inside the mansion to retrieve something for a friend in a hurry. The next moment she was without a body. But what was it that she needed? Why was she in a hurry? Who was this mysterious person she all but completely forgot?

 

It couldn’t have been the boys. Jason and Billy we’re gone and out of town. A brief thought flashed inside her disembodied mind. A face manifested in the darkness, hidden in the shadows, and her eye’s widened. They we’re supposed to meet up with them along the river. Yes, they we’re trying to get away, to ditch Hillard and leave this godforsaken town and that abusive bitch behind. The five of them: the boys, herself, and someone else who’s memory escaped her.

 

But that never happened.

 

And now she was dead, stuck forever inside the walls and grounds of an ancient Victorian.

 

Trini had wondered why she hadn’t passed over. Wasn’t that supposed to happen, she thought. After you die, head on up towards the light, meet your loved one’s at the pearly gates? All that jazz? Somehow in between life and death her soul had skipped that memo.

 

She stopped resenting the universe after the first decade of death, resolving herself to being confined to this purgatory.

 

She remembered the day she woke up.

 

...

 

It was May 12th, 1975.

 

Exactly six months before a funeral was held.

 

There was nothing to bury.

 

A young man stood outside the mansion grounds, signing off the lease to a bunch of young college students from the town next over.

 

They were unaware of the horrors that happened in the halls they will live in. Of the remaining blood stains soiled into the carpet. The signs of a dual struggle. The attic locked tightly. The furnace sealed shut in the basement.

 

A few days later the glass fixtures of the entrance hallway chandelier shattered on their own.

 

The next day, the partially formed body of a young teenage girl formed in living room, screaming wordlessly, before vanishing back into the darkness.

 

The ghost flickered in and out of existence at random, face etched in horror. When she comes to her senses, Trini screams without voice, confined into the upstairs attic as the light’s inside the house flickered on and off, the windows shattered, and the tenants who had moved in horrified.

 

The new tenants move out the following day.

 

A month later, a young family of seven move in. As quickly as they come, they leave.

 

Rumors spread throughout Angel Grove, of the haunted mansion at the edge of town.

 

Death was lonely as Trini soon found out.

 

Trini couldn’t blame the tenants that would move in, only to be frightened off by the sight of her ghostly self; she had no choice in her being. At first she had tried to say something, to form words despite breathing no air, to string together sentences when she had no lips to speak with.

 

But her actions we’re futile.

 

So she chose to lock herself away in the attic, away from the life that continued on downstairs. But spending life, well– death, in attic was lonely as Trini quickly discovered. Eventually, her loneliness overtook her, driving her away from her seclusion and back downstairs.

 

But nothing good would come from her arrival.

 

She can’t help it. In her state of twilight existence, Trini had little control over the sudden changes in temperature whenever she happened to pass by. Or how a shift in her emotions would cause books to go flying off the shelves and furniture to shake. In truth, she hardly minded the former. Reading had been one of her favorite pastimes in life and in death kept Trini from losing her sanity through boredom.

 

In time, she would finish the countless books that had been left in the attic.

 

Years passed. Fewer and fewer tenants would move in. The house would remain empty for weeks, then years all but for herself.

 

And then on a brisk autumn morning, seemingly identical to all others Trini had gone through, Kimberly Hart moved in.

 

...

 

The next morning Trini watched from her attic window as a green pickup truck pulled into the Hart’s driveway.

 

A tall brunette girl with dark brown skin came out from the driver’s side. She was wearing a matching army green leather jacket, a white tiger etched on the back over a yellow soccer jersey. The girl leaned against the passenger side, tapping her boot against the gravel driveway.

 

The house swayed slightly as the front door opened, then slammed shut. Trini felt her heart drop as she saw Kim head out and enter Tommy’s pickup, watching the pair drive off together.

 

Trini felt her form ripple in anger. All around her, furniture trembled, vibrating for a moment, before stilling.

 

Trini had apologized. Well, tried too. And now Kim had the nerve to just up and leave her with some other girl?

 

Unknowingly, Trini felt her form disperse all around the room, shrouding it in a thin layer of mist. Her form tingled in anger.

 

What if she want’s nothing to do with you anymore? The thought overtook her, and had Trini been alive she would have noticed how the overhead pipes freeze over.

 

The taller girl Kim was talking too. Who was she? She mulled over the thought.  Tommy, yes that was her name.

 

A wave of jealousy rose up inside of Trini. Kim had mentioned being  intimate with a soccer player before. And from her vantage point up on the banister Trini had gotten a glimpse of the yellow soccer jersey Tommy was wearing.

 

No.

 

_No._

 

Several storage boxes toppled over behind her. Book’s flew of the numerous shelves lining the wall, thudding on the ground.

 

_Kim couldn’t. She isn’t with her. She isn’t––_

 

The idea of Kim being with someone else– with another girl, sent a wave of nausea throughout Trini’s form.

 

The lone lightbulb that hung on a thin wire from the attic rafters sparked with energy, then quickly died out.

 

If only Kim was disgusted with the fact that she was a ghost, Trini thought bitterly. Then she wouldn’t have to deal with this mess of conflicted emotions.

 

...

 

Earlier that morning Kim woke up the sound of her mother yelling in a mixture of English and the sensation of the cold morning air hitting her skin as several blankets are suddenly were pulled off of her.

 

“You could have scared the hell out of me! What were you thinking just sleeping in the living room– I thought you were a squatter!”

 

Her mother marches off, and Kim rolls to her side. For a brief moment she’s left wondering why her mother is yelling at her to get out of bed on a Sunday before her body is hitting the living room carpet with a dull thump.

 

Kim groans as she gets up, rubbing her forehead, hoping that her body won’t bruise later on.

 

The front door slammed as her mother left for her morning day shift at the family practice.

 

Kim sit’s up on the floor, leaning her back against the couch as she checks her phone. Her eyes squint at the brightness, not adjusted yet to being awake. Once the glare died down she glances back and see’s the newest message.

 

**Tomothy:**

You up?

You looked like shit yesterday at detention.

Wanna get doughnuts?

 

Kim types out a “no” before she paused, realizing that she has nothing better to do that morning now that Trini’s gone again.

 

She  looked around the living room, half expecting Trini to pop out. For a brief moment she thought she had saw the faint outline of a figure stare back from the kitchen entrance in the corner of her vision. Kim blinked. The kitchen remained as empty as it had been earlier.

 

Seeing no ghost, she quickly types out her reply.

 

**Kim:**

Yeah sure. Why not.

 

**Tomothy:**

Aaaaayyyy be there in 15. Be ready bro.

 

...

 

“Thanks for picking me up. Mom took the Sedan earlier today and Dad has the BMW. And well… You’re the only one I know who’s willing to give me a ride in their car” she explained as she got into the truck, shutting the door.

 

“No problem.” Tommy replied, eyeing Kim curiously.

 

“I needed to get out of there.” Kim gestured to the mansion as Tommy pulled out of the drive way.

 

The drive was silent. Five minutes after they had left the house and reached the main road Tommy spoke.

 

“Hey, Hart.”

 

Kim ignored the finger poking her, letting herself continue to stare out the passenger window, aimlessly watching as they passed rows of houses and street lamps.

 

From her seat in the driver's side Tommy gave her an amused look “You know we have a partner project to do, right?”

 

“Uhhh…” In the flurry of emotions and fighting with Trini she had completely forgotten it. Oh yeah, Kim thought. The partner project.

 

With Tommy.

 

The partner project with her sorta ex Tommy.

 

The research project her European Civ teacher had to assign her with her ex girlfriend Tom because she was the only one who would bother to partner with her in the first––

 

The truck came to a stop at an intersection. Tommy tapped her fingers on the wheel. Seeing as the light remained red, she turned her head slightly,  “You haven’t been sleeping have you?” she asked in concern, snapping Kim out of her thoughts..

 

“What makes you say that?” Kim said, brows furrowing in confusion. She leaned forward trying to keep her eyes wide and focused on the cars passing in front of them.

 

A beat. “You’re a shitty liar Hart. You know that right?”

 

Kim blinked.“Huh, did you say something?”

 

The light turned green, and Tommy stepped on the pedal, bringing them forward. She turned on the windshield wiper as a shower of rain started to fall.

 

“I'm gonna take a guess and say it’s because of this best friend of yours.”

 

“Maybe...” Kim trailed off softly, eyes drooping. She let her head rest against the passenger window. The cold glass jolted her awake, breath fogging the glass opaque. Kim absentmindedly trailed her finger against the fogged glass, drawing a small, crude ghost on the window.

 

Tommy raised an eyebrow. “Who the hell is she anyway–– this new best friend of yours? And why haven’t I seen her around school?”

 

Kim ran a hand through her hair. “What do you mean? I already told you she’s my best friend.”

 

Tommy remained quiet, waiting for Kim to speak for herself. Years of knowing Kim and her sleepy behavior taught her to be patient. Kim’s compulsion to fill in any gaps of silence would eventually lead to her explaining.

 

“Oh! Well…”  Kim began, not sure how to explain to her quasi-ex that Trini was a ghost. She quickly thought up an excuse. “ She doesn’t go here! She’s kinda of... homeschooled? Yeah! She’s homeschooled.” she said with a forced smile.

 

“Sure… Alright dude” Tommy remained unconvinced as she parked the car right at the curb outside of Krispee Kreme.

 

The door unlocked with a click. “Whatever you say Hart.” Tommy said, mildly amused as she got out of the car, walking over to Kim’s side to open her passenger door.

 

Kim frowned as she got out. “You don’t believe me?” she said in lieu of thanks.

 

The Sunday morning crowd had already flooded into Krispee Kreme. Kim and Tommy got in line, Kim’s eye’s darting everywhere, mind registering the sudden influx of information this early in the morning. Tommy was focused on the overhead menu, scanning it for any deals.

 

“Hey!,” she poked Kim in the ribs. “What you want?”

 

“I can pay for myself.”

 

“Yeah. No thanks, Tommy said as she stepped towards the cashier.  Kim didn’t argue as Tommy paid, ordering her usual special.

 

Both girls sat down by the window.

 

“So…” Tommy began, taking a bite out of a chocolate glazed doughnut. “I was thinking, maybe we could have a sleepover at your house to work on it?”

 

“Oh yeah, Because last time we had a sleepover we–” Kim said warningly.

 

“Fucked?” Tommy finished with a shrug. She took a sip of coffee, seemingly unfazed by her words. “Look I get it, we’re not together anymore.

 

“Would you call being fuck buddies with each other together?”

 

All around them people we’re starting to stare in their direction. Kim groaned in embarrassment, sinking into the booth. Tommy remained unfazed, continuing her trend of thought in between bites of a chocolate doughnut.

 

“Hell no. And lower your voice. Christ, the last thing we need is to anger some suburban mom’s with our naughty words.” Tommy whispered as she licked the chocolate glaze off her fingers. Kim tried not to watch, casting her gaze to the side.

 

“I hate you sometimes. You know that right?”

 

“ Sure you do Hart. But you can’t deny we had something going on.” Tommy said casually, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

 

Kim rolled her eyes, stabbing a plastic fork into her doughnut “Yeah... Well that something isn’t going to happen anytime soon.” Kim said casually, before adding a “Go fuck yourself Tommy” for good measure.

 

Behind them a middle-aged mom glared directly at Kimberly, whispering something into her kids ears about “ kids having no respect”  before ushering her kids and the rest of her group to another table away from the teens.  Tommy paid no attention to the whispers and glares the church group was shooting their way and continued.

 

“Already planning on it after practice today. Besides, I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the infamous ghost’s lurking at your place.”

 

Kim groaned. “I told you. There’s no such thing as ghosts. And even if they we’re, I’m pretty sure none of them would want to be around me...” she trailed off, shoulders slumping and looking away.

 

Tommy failed to notice the sudden shift in Kim’s mood, rolling her eyes as she continued her train of thought.“Why? Cause Kimberly Hart’s so scary herself?” she said half-jokingly.

 

“Tommy that’s not what I meant––”

 

Tommy shrugged. “I know what you meant Hart. Geez, just trying to lighten up the mood here.”

 

Kim didn’t reply, sinking further into her seat. She kept her eyes focused on the table, ignoring Tommy’s eyes, before taking a sip of coffee.

 

Tommy sighed. “Hey.” She reached across to grab Kim’s hand, massaging the other girl’s fingers gently. “ Sorry If that was rude.” she apologized, voice sincere.

 

“It’s––It’s fine.” Kim shook her head, pulling her hand away from Tommy’s grip. She took the first bite out of her lemon glaze doughnut, licking the yellow frosting off of her lips. “It’s just… I haven’t been sleeping well ever since me and Trini fought.”

 

“Trini?” The taller girl gave Kim a confused look.

 

“My best… Well I don’t even know if she would consider us friends anymore…” she trailed off.

 

Both girls remained silent, eating their doughnuts without talking. A minute passed. Then another. Kim kept her eye’s down on her food, trying her best to just melt into the scenery.

 

Tommy took a deep breath, breaking the silence. “All jokes aside–” Tommy’s tone became serious. “I... Look, I care about you Kim. And not as a quasi-ex with some lingering feelings, but as a friend.” she said earnestly.

 

Kim didn’t look up.“Sure. Whatever you say Oliver.” she mummered

 

Tommy sighed, wiping the remaining glaze off her hands with a napkin. She took a sip of her coffee, before putting the drink down to look directly at Kim. “ I am being serious. You need to go ahead and take care of yourself. Take care of this friendship. Apologize to this best friend of yours. Trini, if that’s her name.” she said, gesturing into the air.  “Look, if she really means that much to you, don’t let this fight escalate.”

 

“I’m not escalating anything!” Kim looked up, frowning.

 

Tommy rolled her eyes before giving Kim a pointed look. “Uh huh. And what? Ty Flemming’s just leaked those pics of Amanda by himself?” Kim grimaced at the memory.

 

“That wasn’t–!” Kim began, but Tommy interrupted her, holding a hand up to Kim’s lips to stop whatever the other girl was about to say.

 

“Kim, I know you. And I know how that lil bisexual brain of yours works.” she pointed a finger at Kim’s head for emphasis. “ You're the type when confronted to twist the knife further and fuck up an already fucked up problem even more. Don’t let yourself hold a grudge against Trini, if that’s her name. You already lost your previous bestie, don’t let your stubborn ass lose this one too.”

…

 

An hour later Tommy dropped Kim off back at the mansion, waving goodbye as she drove off.

 

The silence of the house was deafening as Kim trudged inside, shutting the front door. She turned to face the entrance staircase leading up to the rest of the mansion, half expecting for a familiar ghost to come tumbling down in a hurry, eager to greet her.

 

But no one came.

 

As she got into her room Kim threw her purse on her bed, before flopping onto the mattress herself with a thud.

 

She rolled over onto her side, glancing at the record player seated on her bedside table. Kim reached over, flipping over the case, before opening the table’s drawer and grabbing a random nearby record. She pulled the record out of the sleeve and placing it on the turntable. A minute later the soft voice of Maureen McGovern drifted throughout her room.

 

Stretching her limbs, she swung her legs off  the side of the bed,then slowly made her way to the middle of her room.  Kim swayed, hips gyrating in tight circles, hands held above her, letting her body flow to the gentle music.

 

For several minutes she danced, singing along to the gentle lyrics,  forgetting about all her worries, until everything came crashing down at her eyes caught sight of yellow fabric.

 

The beanie lay on top of her desk, where it had remained since she found it several weeks ago in the basement.

 

She turned the record player off, sauntering towards it, body still caught in rhythm.

 

Kim picked it up, running her fingers through it’s threaded material. Dust gathered on her fingers, she’d have to wash it. She turned it over, eyebrows furrowing as she noticed the stain. A dry, crusting patch of dark maroon stood out against the faded yellow fabric. She traced her fingers over it. A shiver ran down her spine.

 

Clutching the beanie, Kim felt an inexplicable wave of sadness overwhelm her.

 

She’d wash the hat later. The mid December cold was starting to roll in from the north, blanketing Angel Grove in a thick layer of fog. The local forecast called for the skies to be covered in dark storm clouds and rain.

 

How suiting given her current emotional state.

 

Kim flopped onto the bed, splaying her body in a starfish position. She kicked off her boots, and stretched her body, thinking of what Tommy had said to her.

 

Her ex was right, much to Kim’s annoyance. She was being stubborn with Trini.

 

Kim let herself bask in the silence of the empty house. The only sound was the hum of the nearby radiator and the pitter-patter of new rain outside her window.

 

She slowly closed her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep.

 

A floorboard creaked somewhere in the attic above her. Kim squinted at the ceiling, before closing her eyes.

 

Above the ceiling, pipes clanged as they froze.

 

Kim ignored it, keeping her eyes shut.

 

But above her the creaking continued. And then, suddenly a flurry of loud noises. Somewhere above, several boxes fell over in quick succession and books being thrown onto the floor violently.

 

Kim shoot up from her reclining position. “What is wrong with you–” she glared at the ceiling.

 

The loud banging repeated, then stopped.

 

Kim narrowed her eyes, looking suspiciously up at the ceiling, and got out of bed.

...

 

The stairwell to the attic trembled with each step as Kim approached the attic door. She paused for a moment outside, trying to catch her bearings

 

She knocked on the door three times. When no one replied she knocked again.

 

Kim tentatively reached out a hand towards the brass knob. Her hand quivered, apprehension growing. She swallowed her fear and grasped the doorknob, twisting it open. waiting for the Strangely enough the door handle wasn’t biting cold. The metal was warm, lacking the familiar coldness that Kim had grown used to.   

 

The attic door swung carefully open.

 

“Trini…? Are you there?” Kim called out into the air as she stepped inside.

 

Almost immediately, she noticed that several packing boxes were overturned, contents spilling onto the floor. Multiple pieces of furniture were knocked over, old lamps, armchairs, a table. Books had been shoved from their places in the bookshelf, violently thrown and spread throughout, landing on top of sheet covered furniture and floor.

 

But that couldn’t be. No one else would be in here except for––

 

Behind her, the attic door swung shut by itself.

 

Kim paid no attention to it. If Trini wanted their talk to be private, then alright. She could deal with that.

 

Trini was mostly harmless. Or at least, that’s what Kim thought.

 

But the scattered furniture and thrown books that littered the attic floor told her otherwise. There was no possible explanation for this mess. Was Trini even capable of this much violence?

 

Her pants track dust as she settled into an old armchair covered in a white slipcover. Kim scooted back further in her seat, ignoring how her tank top brushes gathers dust as she brushes it against the chair backing.

 

She folded her arms in her lap, fingers tapping nervously against her knee.

 

Kim waited.

 

Outside the attic window, storm clouds began to form.

 

The pipes creaked above her.

 

A moment later she felt a brief cold breeze blow through from the crack in the window, tickling her face.

 

Kim gulped, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Trini–,” she began.

 

She slowly opened her eyes, half expecting to find the ghost floating before her.

 

No one came.

 

Kim sat up, brushing the dust of her butt.  This was pointless, she thought. If Trini didn’t want to talk now, Kim would wait. She turned around, ready to head back downstairs.

 

In the far corner of the room a metal lock clicked open. 

 

She turned around suddenly, heart thumping in her chest in anticipation for what she might find. “Trini… Are you there?” she said out loud. No one replied Kim looked around the attic expecting Trini to pop out of the darkness. A ray of sunlight wafting in from the attic window, illuminating a heavy, wide trunk she had not noticed before in the far corner of the room.

 

It was hidden underneath an old metal bed frame, half buried behind a row of stacked boxes. Kim cautiously approached the trunk. The box had been hurriedly shoved underneath the bedframe, as if someone was in a rush and had tried to hide it.

 

She knelt down onto her hands and knees, pulling it towards her.

 

Dust rose in the air as she dragged it out of it’s hiding spot. Kim let out a rough cough. The leather straps of the trunk had faded and yellowed with age. On the side, the initials **K. A. HILLARD** was engraved in red string. Curiosity overwhelming her, Kim carefully undid the rest of the locks and opened it.

 

Layers of clothes were haphazardly stuffed inside it, ranging from a few pairs of flared jeans to a dozen long sundresses. The clothes looked brand new, as if no one had taken them out since being stuffed right in. Kim … threw the clothes, uncovering some toiletries hidden at the bottom. Underneath that to the side was a large map of Northern California extending all the way to Washington. A few paperbacks, a pocket knife, some makeup––

 

Kim let out a loud gasp “What the hell…?”

 

Several thick stacks of fifty dollar bills lay hidden beneath the clothes. Wide-eyed, Kim took out a stack in amazement, flipping through the bills. It was real.

 

No, none of this was right.

 

The luggage case– it hadn’t been opened in years. No– decades. Everything was still in pristine condition, as if someone had packed it just yesterday, all ready to leave.

 

A thought appeared in her head. No, whoever had packed all of this didn’t want to just leave.

 

They wanted to escape.

 

But if they we’re planning on running away, why the hell did they leave their luggage up here if it was that important?And it had to be. No one would just toss it all aside, especially with all this cash, Kim thought. There had to be easily over 5,000 dollars buried underneath the clothes.

 

Mr. Taylor had mentioned that anything left over in the house was there’s.

 

If Kim wanted to, she could easily just swipe all the cash and–-

 

No. She bit her lip nervously. Her hands trembled. She carefully put the contents back, closing the lid with a snap, before shoving it back where she found it.

 

It didn’t help that the luggage felt so familiar, like she had seen it before. And that was another thing that bothered her.

 

When she’d least expect it she would find herself drowning in the sensation that she had seen this or done that within the mansion before. Ever since she had moved in almost two months ago Kim has been wracked with feelings of deja vu. From the furnace, to the creek by the willow, and now the luggage.

 

Trini could probably tell her.

 

But why would she? Kim thought bitterly. The last time she tried talking to her you threw her apology back in her face.

 

Her mind flashed back to the previous evening. The image of the ghost, small and fragile seared into her memory. How anguished her face was at Kim’s rejection. The way her body seemed to collapse upon itself in sadness. How Trini had earnestly reached out to Kim to apologize. Her desire to make amends to her only friend after decades of being alone and––

 

She couldn’t, no–– she wouldn't lose Trini. Trini mattered to much to her. And even if she didn’t want to be more than friends, lovers even, Kim would settle for friendship if it meant not losing her.

 

But that begged the question:

 

How exactly do you go looking for a girl who doesn’t want to be found?

 

…

 

The truth of the matter is you can’t.

 

It’s near impossible, as Kim soon found out, to find a ghost who could disappear completely into the shadows at her whim.

 

She spends an entire hour searching the mansion for Trini, opening closets she never knew existed, calling out the girl’s name only to get no reply. Retracing her steps repeatedly through the numerous bedrooms and bathrooms that make of the mansion. For a brief moment Kim considers checking the basement, swallowing down her fear of the place for a second just to see if Trini was hiding there.

 

Right when Kim is ready to give up her phone buzzes.

 

She picks it up, half expecting Tommy to be calling her about some girl (in the past week Tommy was really the only one her age she has talked too) before she see’s that it’s her mom.

 

“Yeah?” she said as a greeting.

 

“Beti, is that really how you talk to your mother?” her mother said in disappointment.

 

Kim cringed. “Sorry, for a moment I thought you were someone else…”

 

“Kim please tell me you took your meds today? See, this is what I was saying to your father about you sleeping on the couch! You forget to take your meds and now you––”

 

“I took them! Mom, I’m fine. Don’t worry.” her eyebrows furrowed, “Shouldn’t you be helping Dad right now with someone’s braces.”

 

In the background Kim could hear the sound of dental equipment and her father telling an assistant to pass the mouth scaler.

 

Mrs. Hart sighed. “I’m taking a break right now. I forgot to tell you to drop of another check to Mr. Taylor. I left it on the foyer table. I need him to send someone over to fix the pipes. I swear it’s not even snowing outside and already the pipes are freezing over!”

 

“Alright, I can do that right now. I’ll just Uber it since you guys _just had_ to take both cars to the same ortho office.”

 

“Well that’s not my fault! If your father has told me he was late for a meeting earlier then I could have––”

 

Kim hung up. Her mom would probably chew her out later for ending the conversation abruptly but if it meant she’d not have a headache than so be it.

 

And speaking of Mr. Taylor–

 

In her haze of raw, hurt emotions she had forgotten to pick up more books for Trini. A wave of guilt passed through her. It went unnoticed to Kim how Mr. Taylor seemed to enjoy her company. The landlord talked to her as if she was an old friend of his. And in some way that felt accurate. He made good company as she browsed the shelves, trying to find anything that might interest Trini, telling her stories from his desk about how Angel Grove was always a shitty mining town, even when he was her age. Kim would laugh alongside him and agree.

It had become part of her weekly routine now. Every few days she would pick up books from Mr. Taylor’s shop under the guise of dropping off the repair checks her mom was to busy to give. All just for Trini.

 

As she pocketed her phone an idea popped in her head.

 

She’d have to lure the ghost out if she wanted to apologize to her. And there was only one way she could think of.

 

...

 

An hour later Kim was standing outside of Mr. Taylor’s bookshop in the afternoon rain.

 

A bell attached to the door chimed. Kim walked in, placing her wet umbrella in a bucket near the entrance.

 

Mr. Taylor looked up from his desk in the far right corner, smiling softly as she made her way towards him.

 

As the weeks went by, Kim couldn’t help but notice how the man seemed to pale, eyes sunken and hollow behind his horned glasses; cheeks growing gaunter as his beard became greyer.

 

Today was no different. His perm pressed polo and khaki shirt stood in stark contrast to his tired face and pale skin.   Walking towards his desk she caught the faint smell of whiskey off of his.

 

At the sight of Kim he gave her a quick, tired smile. “Fancy seeing you here. Was wondering where you went.”

 

“I’ve been pretty busy lately. School just started and all.”

 

He leaned over under his desk, thumbing through a record book, before settling on a line and date.

 

“Ah! Yes, your mother mentioned something about the pipe’s freezing over, correct?” He adjusted his glasses.

 

“Uh, yeah. That’s right. She wanted me to give you this.” Kim handed a white envelope over to him.

 

He opened the envelope and eyed the check for a moment, then handed it back to her.

 

“Keep it.” he said.

 

“Wait, what?”

 

He pulled open a filing cabinet to his right, taking out a checkbook and pen. The next instant, he was signing a check to the Hart’s under his name. Zack Taylor.

 

He got a fresh envelope from under his desk, and packed the check inside, handing it over.

 

“Let me pay for it.” he said earnestly. “ Least I can do as your landlord for all the housing troubles.”

 

“Are you sure?” Kim asked. “The pipes will probably cost a thousand to repair–”

 

He brushed her off, waving aside her concern. “It’s no problem. Money isn’t really an issue for me. And as a landlord I should have repaired those pipes ages ago.” he explained solemnly.

He went back to checking his record book. Sensing that Kim hadn’t said anything, he asked without looking, “Anything else you need?”

 

Kim thought for a moment before speaking.“Yeah. How do you apologize to a girl you like?”

 

Mr. Taylor looked up in bewilderment.

 

“I–" Kim shook her head. “Forget I ever said that. Sorry, sometimes I just blurt things out and…”She stumbled through her words. Sensing the impending awkwardness, she turned to leave. “Sorry about the unexpected visit, I’ll be heading out now–”

 

“You’re fine. Please, by all means stay.” he reassured her, slowly getting up out of his chair, cracking his back . “I have some new books in stock that you might be interested in.” He gestured to the backroom, disappearing behind his desk into the storage room.

 

A moment later he reappeared, holding a stack of brightly colored books.

 

“If I remember correctly you we’re trying to find a good fantasy series, correct?”

 

She nodded her head. Trini was craving something exciting to read, and live always, Kim had promised to bring her just that.

 

“Dragon Riders of Pern. A classic. Got the first six books here for you.” he said, placing several new hardbacks on the desk in front of Kim.

 

He settled back into his desk chair, “But to answer your question… I’m not really good with girls in general.”

 

“Never liked them that much besides as friends.” He eyed Kim curiously behind his glasses. “Anyway, shouldn’t you be asking someone your age? And not an old geezer like me?”

 

He has a point. Kim scours her mind for a reason, any. Then she realizes that,, besides Tommy and Trini, she doesn’t have any other friends. One was her ex, and the other…

  
Kim choose her words carefully. “The only other person I can talk to is my sorta ex” she said flatly. “ Somehow we’re still friends. But how exactly do I ask her that?” she asked, settling down into a nearby wooden stool. Kim reached over for the hardbacks, turning them over and checking the covers.

 

All the while Mr. Taylor continues his trend of thought. “Ha! I’ve been there before. Try explaining to one of your boyfriends that you used to go on flings with his ex.”

 

“Yeah that does seem awkward.” Kim muttered in agreement before catching onto his words. “Wait... You’re not straight?” she asked in disbelief, looking up to see the man giving a rare full smile.

 

Mr. Taylor gave a gruff laugh patting his belly. He shook his head as he rummaged through a nearby file cabinet, pulling out a flask and uncapping it, taking a long swig.

 

“You think all queer people are young like you? Kid, we’ve been alive and thriving for longer than you think. Well I wouldn’t say thriving. Really wasn’t till the last ten years we’ve gotten the respect we deserve. You millennials are lucky.” He chuckled. Mr. Taylor took another swing of his flask before setting it down with a thud. He wiped his stubble with the back of his hand.

 

His gaze hardened. “Hah. Try being gay in the Seventies. Watching your loved one’s get harassed, your boyfriends disappear after you planned on meeting them out of town. Not realizing the damn truth until it was too late,” he took a long swig from his flask.

 

Kim could smell the dry aroma of whiskey coming from his lips. “Are you alright…?”

 

“Huh? I’m fine. Sorry. Bad memories,” he mumbled, shoving the flask back into the file cabinet. He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his belly. His eyes stared off to the side, before landing on a small rectangular picture frame hidden in between a jar of pens and his register.

 

Her eye’s followed Mr.Taylor’s wistful gaze, stopping on the faded portrait sitting on the corner of his desk.

 

Three teenage boys were leaning against a red cadillac car, arms draped around each other, laughing. In the background waves crashed on a distant beach shore.  A young Mr. Taylor stood on the right, black hair short and choppy, teeth bared in an infectious smile. In the middle stood a tall black teen in a blue cardigan and flared tan pants. To his left, arms wrapped around his waist, was a slightly shorter white guy, with wavy blonde hair suited for the time period, decked in a tight baseball shirt and blue jeans. All three we’re smiling widely, completely carefree of the world.

 

“Is that you..?” Kim asked him softly, already knowing the answer.

 

Mr. Taylor gave a forlorn smile. “Used to be me. Back when I was a about your age in the early 70’s. Maybe seventeen? Eighteen years? Not so sure anymore…”

 

“And the other two guys… ?”

 

“The most loving and caring men I have ever had the pleasure to know and be with.” he answered sincerely. He gazed solemnly at the picture, eye’s bright with unshed tears.

 

But what caught Kim’s eye immediately after was the two figures hidden in the background, leaning against the car from behind. Kim could make out two teen girls. One stood taller. Her hair was deep brown, reaching her breasts, covering most of her face. Her face mostly unseen, wearing a light pink floral sundress. Besides her was a shorter girl, hair braided on the side underneath a yellow beanie, wearing a familiar combo of flared overalls over a yellow striped shirt.

 

Both girls were laughing intimately, leaning into each other and holding hands.

 

The photo was faded, but to Kim it was unmistakable who the girl in yellow was.

 

“Trini…” Kim whispered out loud.

 

Seconds of silence passed before Mr. Taylor’s voice cracked, wavering. “How do you know that name?” he asked in a quiet voice.

 

Kim’s eyes widened in surprise. She quickly forged up an excuse. “I… I don’t! I just heard from my parents that a Trini used to live in the mansion before we moved in and it was just the first name to pop into my head.”

 

Mr. Taylor didn’t seem to buy her shoddy explanation but said nothing of it. He got up from his chair, hand clutching at his back, before walking out and to the backroom without another word.

 

Outside, the rain began to fall harder, pattering against the storefront windows. Thunder clapped in the distance.

 

“You should get going soon.” He called out from the back. “A storm’s brewing tonight, last thing you need is to get caught in it.” A pause, then peaking out from behind a bookshelf. “You can leave the cash for the books on the table, I’ll be sure to get it.”he said, then vanished without another word.

 

…

 

An hour later Kim was back inside the mansion, sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee, keeping watch for any sudden movement or ghostly appearance in the living room.

 

The books were stacked on the coffee table, right between the couch and TV where anyone could find them.

 

More specifically, where Trini could find them.

 

Kim waited.

 

Her coffee grew cold.

 

Minutes passes. Just as Kim was about to call it quits, she saw it. A small blue wisp emerged from the shadows, gliding across the room.

 

The wisp stopped at the coffee table, circling around the books once, glowing light blue in excitement. Slowly, it’s form grew, shifting in shape and consistency, becoming humanoid.

 

Trini floated downward, eagerly scooping up the pile with transparent arms, smiling to herself. She flipped through the books, eye’s scanning the covers, happiness growing.

 

Kim took Trini’s distraction as her cue to step out of the kitchen.

 

“Trini…!”

 

Trini turned around, eye’s widening at the sight of Kim. In an instant, the ghost faded into the air with a loud squeak. The books fell to the floor with a thud. In Trini’s place, a ball of mist and light floated, almost transparent.

 

Then, a soft voice spoke up in her head.

 

 _I’m not here,_ the mist said quietly.

 

Kim shook her head, resisting the urge to playfully roll her eyes. She had to be diplomatic, she had to push aside her hurt feelings and stubbornness for once. Any wrong move or expression could scare Trini off again.  She couldn’t let herself ruin this relationship, she wouldn't. 

 

Opaque mist hung in the air where Trini had stood floating.

 

As Kim approached it she felt her skin prickle, gooseflesh rising as the temperature dropped.

 

The light above flickered once, then twice, before dying out. Floor boards creaked.

 

Across the room a ball of mist wafted in the air, drifting aimlessly. It briefly hoovered in place, and Kim took a step forward to approach it cautiously. Right as she was about to approach Trini, a floorboard creaked underneath her foot. It glowed in surprise at the sight of Kim, before darting across the living room, settling underneath the couch to hide.

 

A thin layer of frost started to form on the surface of the floorboards underneath the couch, illuminated by the faintly glowing mist hiding in the space between.  

 

Kim slowly got onto her hands and knees, kneeling down to crane her head downwards.  Just as she looked, the ghost darted from underneath the couch, soaring across the room, before settling underneath a lamp shade in the foyer.

 

The light flickered brightly, then vanished into darkness. Underneath the lamp shade Kim could make out a faint blue flow.

 

Kim suppressed her groan. Coaxing the ghost to come out was like coaxing a child out of hiding.

 

Then again, Trini was practically the size of a child, so it sort of made sense.

 

 _I’m not short!_ a voice said in her mind.

 

Kim smirked. Okay, maybe it wouldn't be so hard luring her out.

 

Kim took several cautionary steps towards Trini.

 

She carefully approached the ghost, making sure her movements weren’t too large less she accidentally frighten Trini off.

 

Kim stopped in front of the lamp. She cleared her throat, mulling over her words briefly. “I wanted to talk to you.” she said softly to the lamp.

 

A moment of silence.

 

Then, underneath the lampshade, the ghost glowed a bit brighter.

 

_Really?_

 

 There was a layer of happiness in the word, before Trini’s voice hardened in her mind, scoffing.

 

_I mean, really?  Last time it seems you wanted nothing to do with me?_

 

At her words, the lamp shuddered slightly. The light came on once more, before blowing a fuse, then dying with a spark.

 

Kim whinced. “I? Could we talk outside? If that’s okay with you?

 

The room was silent, but then a voice spoke in her mind.

 

 _Why should I..?_ it huffed.

 

“Well…” Kim pinched the bridge of her nose. This wasn’t exactly how she expected her talk with Trini to go. “First of all I kind of feel stupid talking to a lamp.”

 

Soft laughter echoed in Kim’s mind.

 

At the sound Kim felt her courage building. “And secondly… I wanted to apologize to you. Like actually apologize to you for how I acted.” she said sincerely

 

Trini remained quiet.

 

Kim felt her panic grow. “Listen...I. Can you please say something? Maybe even come out to look at me? I feel ridiculous talking to a lamp. But at the same time,” her voice lowered, “I don’t really deserve anything less from how I treated you the other day.”

 

No reply.

 

Kim sighed, turning around, ready to leave and go back upstairs. But out of the corner of her eye, a familiar blue wisp emerged from the lamp. It hung in the air for a moment, before floating out of the room and into the foyer.

 

It remained still in the air, casting a faint blue glow on the the faded wallpaper and high ceiling. Soon as Kim stepped into the foyer, the ghost opened the front door.  Kim followed her outside, careful to leave at least some distance between them.

 

Outside the sun was beginning to set, casting a faint light on the sobre grey sky. The ghost floated onwards, Kim following as she stepped off the porch and onto the front yard. A winding ribbon of light trailed off of Trini’s misty form, illuminating the path. They walked for minutes across the massive yard, heading behind the house, taking an unfamiliar path  through a deep thicket of oak trees, before they stopped.

 

An old, maplewood gazebo stood at the center of a clearing, covered in ivy vines, black paint peeling off. An overgrowth of roses bushes wrapped around it.

 

Kim paused, taking in the scenery. Even in its derelict state there was something charming about the gazebo. It felt almost romantic.

 

The ghost slowly floated towards the gazebo entrance. With each step, it’s form dispersed, shifting from a ball of light to Trini's familiar humanoid self. Trini stopped, turning around to look at Kim, waiting expectantly.

 

Kim took a deep breath and walked forward, swallowing down her nervousness and any leftover pride.

 

This isn’t for you, she reminded herself. This is for Trini.

 

She took a seat on the wooden bench lining the gazebo. Trini floated downwards to sit next to her, keeping a close distance.

 

Silence hung over them, both girls unsure of where to begin.

 

The wind blew leaves across the yard.

 

Overhead, storm clouds rumbled.

 

A moment later, Trini broke the silence.

 

 _You have pretty good taste in music, you know._ The ghost said quietly, refusing to look at Kim.

 

Kim blinked in confusion. “What you mean?”

 

Trini kept her head down as she explained softly _, Earlier you we’re playing Maureen McGovern. She was, well is, one of my favorites._

 

“Were you listening in on me?” Kim asked flustered.

 

Somehow Trini blushed despite being dead. She shook her head. _No! Um, it’s just hard to ignore her. Maureen. I used to sing some of her songs before._

 

“You sing?”

 

_Yeah. I do._

 

Awkward silence filled the gap in conversation.  Kim wasn’t sure how to begin. Hey Trini, sorry I was a complete bitch to you, throwing your heartfelt apology back in your face. How about we forget it ever happened and just sing together like everything’s alright? She thought bitterly.

 

 _I mean, that’s a start Kimmy,_ Trini muttered bemusedly.

 

Kim blushed in embarrassment, forgetting again that Trini could read her thoughts.

 

 _You always do._ Trini grumbled.

 

Kim smirked slightly. “Well, I can’t help it. Not everyday you meet a ghost who’s specifically telepathic to you.”

 

 _Oh?_ the ghost asked.

 

Kim paused, working up the courage to apologize.

 

“Look I’m–” she began

 

 _I’m sorry._ Trini finished.

 

“You go–”

 

_No you–_

 

“Well since I was the one who was an ass–

 

_We kinda both we’re–_

 

“Okay. Okay.” Kim raised both her hands up. “Let me start, first.” Trini watched her expectantly. Kim licked her lips, “I shouldn’t have just kissed you like that

 

 _You weren’t wrong though._ Trini whimpered.

 

Kim’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”

 

 _I– I wanted the kiss as much as you did._ Trini said weakly.

 

“Then why did you push me away?!” Kim asked in disbelief. She remembered the way Trini had return the kiss in full, pressing against her passionately.

 

 _I–_ Trini, stopped to think. Choosing her words carefully, she said, _I know it doesn’t make any sense, but I–_

 

“Take your time.” Kim interrupted

 

Trini shot her an annoyed look. _We’ll I won’t be able to if you keep on interrupting Kimmy._

 

Kim remained silent. Trini took it as her cue to continue.

 

 _I...I’ve always been into girls,_ she paused, shoulders tensed, waiting for Kim’s negative reaction _._ Seeing Kim’s gentle, encouraging expression, the ghost continued, _God, ever since I’ve been alive I have loved women. Growing up in the mansion gave me freedom to explore myself like no other kid in Angel Grove. She gave us freedom in a way, still taking care and keeping close watch to make sure we weren’t hurt. She let us be kids._

 

Her voice wavered. _But as I got older, the kind lady who took me in as a child was gone. And what was left of Mrs. Hillard_ … _The women I remembered, the women I considered my caretaker was gone._ Trini shivered. _One day… And I’m not sure when or how, but Mrs. Hillard found us._

 

“Found you with whom?”

 

Trini swallowed, _She found me with her daughter,_ said Trini weakly, shaking.

 

Kim immediately leaned forward, taking the ghost in her arms. She ignored the way her fingers froze as stroked Trini’s misty hair. Trini quivered in Kim’s embrace. Ghostly tears begin to drip onto Kim’s shoulder, leaving small puddles of frost.

 

You don’t have to say anything else, Kim thought, trying her best to comfort the spirit.

 

 _Okay,_ Trini replied faintly, reading her mind.

 

Kim felt her throat constrict. “Trini, if I had known–”

 

_But you didn’t–_

 

Kim swallowed. “Even then, I never meant to trigger you Trini. God, if I had known what happened to you,” she stumbled on her words, “before.” she spat out. “If I had known, I would never had kissed you out of nowhere.”

 

“God here you are, apologizing I should be the one to apologize though… You were sorry and I just spat in your face! God, no wonder Amanda hates me…”

 

Trini rushed forward to speak. _Hey! I don’t hate you._

 

Kim takes a deep breath. “But if you liked kissing me. . .Then why did you reject me at the creek?”

 

Trini is silent for a minute, before speaking. _I… I’m not used to this–_ she gestured to their embrace _, being okay. When Mrs. Hillard found us together all those years ago…_ she shivers at the memory. Her face grows anguish, eyes bright with unshed tears.

 

In an instant Kim is speaking. “Trini, you don’t have to. I understand why–”

 

 _No, no no._ Trini interrupted. _It was rude for me to just…avoid you without an explanation. Especially after all you’ve done for me. I didn’t mean to completely vanish.  If you’ll just let me... And I will completely understand if you don’t, because I’ve been extremely selfish and I just–_

 

She’s rambling again, Kim realized. Trini only does that when she’s nervous.

 

Trini looked up, eyes red from crying, and Kim felt her heart break. The other girl’s arms were crossed and hugging herself, head tilted downward and hair cascading over her face. Her body grew mistier, almost transparent, wanting to hide.

 

Kim leaned forward, reaching a hand to cup Trini’s face.

 

The ghost winced at the sudden movement, as if preparing herself to slapped.

 

Kim’s heart broke. “No.” she mumbled. “ No no no. Trini I would _never_.” she gently trailed her fingers down Trini’s cold cheeks. The ghost relaxed into her her touch. “I would never physically hurt you. God, I never want to make you cry ever again.” Her eyes began to water at the thought of hurting Trini, of anyone hurting Trini.

 

 _You’re not gonna leave me?_ Trini blurted out.

 

“You want me to leave you?” Kim asked, trying her best to keep her voice calm.

 

 _I–I don’t w-want you to leave me_ , she stuttered.

 

“Trini why would you think I was about to–”

 

 _Tommy_ , Trini growled out the name, averting her eyes from Kim's stare. _It’s just that, well lately you've been seeing her, and you seem so happy together–_

 

“Trini I’m not with Tommy anymore.” Kim reassured.

 

 _Maybe you should be._ The ghost muttered quietly.

 

Trini– why would I? Do you want me to be with her–”

 

 _No!_ Trini said quickly. _But she know’s you and–_

 

“You know me too.” Kim reassured her, sliding her hand along the small of Trini’s back, rubbing it gently.

 

 _But she’s alive!_ Trini’s said bitterly, breaking away from Kim’s embrace.

 

_And– and– you deserve to be with someone who can actually take care of you, be with you– Why should you be with me when you can be with a girl who could –”_

 

Kim brings a finger to Trini’s lip. The other girl stills into silence. Kim takes a deep breath, tears starting to form. “Trini, I was hurt. I know that isn’t an excuse, but you can’t blame me for feeling that way at first. You pushed me away.”

 

Besides her, Trini’s form flickers, growing colder. Sensing the other girls panic, Kim quickly said, “But that still doesn’t excuse me for throwing your apology away.” she uttered earnestly.

 

Trini nods, form wavering into mist.  _I- I understand._ Trini murmured, sniffing. _You– you we’re still hurt. It’s alright._

 

“Is it?” Kim scooted closer.

 

The air grows colder, and Kim shivers, gooseflesh breaking out along her arms. The ivy leaves surrounding them frost over, turning a faint white. Kim waits. The ghost fumbles with her shirt, hands twitching nervously, face staring down at the cracks on the gazebo floor.

 

 _I– I want to be with you,_ the ghost admitted quietly. _Not just as a friend, but–_ her voice is cautious, fumbling over the words, form growing mistier and mistier in her nervousness.

 

“Together?” Kim said hopefully.

 

 _Yeah..._ Trini whispered sheepishly, looking away. Her shoulders slumped, waiting for a rejection. 

  

“Okay.”

 

 _Really?_ Trini asked cautiously, face betraying her hidden fear. Her form flickered, glowing slightly brighter.

 

Why wouldn’t I want to be with you?” and for the first time in over a week Kim found herself truly smiling. She leaned in closer, tentatively taking Trini’s smaller hands in hers. Her fingers gently massaged circles over the ghost’s knuckles, ignoring the sheer cold that emanated from Trini’s ghostly body. Trini leaned into Kim, her form relaxing.

 

For several moments they stayed together. Kim shivered as the sky grew darker. Her face became shrouded in Trini’s blue glow, illuminating the gazebo in a shroud faint blue light.

 

 _I, uhhhh_ , she closed her eyes and shook her head. When she reopened them Kim was confronted with a determined looking gaze, _I want to show you someplace special._

 

“Where? We can’t really go far past the house–”

 

 _No, not here._ And Trini lifted a finger towards Kim’s forehead.

 

 _In here._ Kim shivered at the cold touch. _In your dreams._

 

“Oh, uhhh. Oh, okay.” That made enough sense. There wasn’t much to do outside of the property.

 

“ Would tonight when I’m asleep work?”

 

Trini’s form shimmered, losing shape briefly before reforming.  She looked down again and fumbled with the straps of her overalls, trying to avoid Kim’s sight _Maybe tomorrow afternoon instead? If you’re cool with it. . .,_ Trini said nervously.

 

“So.” And Kim couldn’t help but grin. “It’s a date then?”

 

Kim was afraid Trini would disappear back into the shadows again. Instead, the other girl remained visible, rooted to her spot. Her form began to glow softly, a faint light blue, before glowing brighter.The ghost felt jolts of energy and tingles cascade through her form. In her excitement, Trini felt her form disperse, fading away from sight, becoming pure mist briefly, before fading back into herself. Her cheeks dimpled, eyes twinkling and expression softening.

 

Trini nodded, and for the first time in ages, she felt herself truly smiling.

 

_It’s a date._

…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, much awaited here is the next chapter! I hope it's worth it haha, as it ended up being much longer than the last three.
> 
> I wanted to explore Trini's point of view as a change of pace, given that the story is as much about her as it is Kim. 
> 
> I hope some of your questions have been answered haha. And if not, then please feel free to tell me what you think is going to happen lol, I love hearing your theories!
> 
> Anyway, thanks so much for all the lovely comments last time. I've been eager to finish this chapter for a long while, but life and adult responsibilities got in the way, hence the delay in updates. 
> 
> Special thanks to UnicornAffair for being my beta reader bro and the Trimberly Dwarves for pushing me to complete this chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know how the hell I managed to write an entire chapter of trimberly without mentioning Trini' name lol.
> 
> Otherwise, next chapter has waaaayyyyyy more Trimberly goodness, some gay dream sequences, and more of Trini's past get's revealed.
> 
> Stay tuned!
> 
> Trini's outfit is based directly off this one: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/78742693461971380/


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